True Grit
by Astrid16
Summary: In the island of Ninjago, there are four people who must protect Prince Lloyd Garmadon. Kai, son of the Southern realm's Lord, Zane, son of the Northern realm's Lord, Jay Walker, a criminal being hunted by the law, and Sir Cole, the servant of the Overlord, who has been trying to take over Ninjago for many years. Rated T for minor blood/gore. Complete summary inside.
1. A Harrowing Ride

_**Summary:**_

_**In the island of Ninjago, there are four people who must protect Prince Lloyd Garmadon: Kai, son of the Southern realm's Lord, Zane of the Northern realm, Jay Walker, a criminal being hunted by the law, and Sir Cole, the servant of the Overlord, who has been trying to take over Ninjago for many years. **_

_**This is a tale of friendship, drama, and trust. The five have been chosen to protect the island of Ninjago, but how can they do that if they cannot even get ****along? They are an unlikely bunch, prone to discord and contempt. To defeat the enemies on all sides, they must learn to work as a team. **_

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**This first chapter will have a bit more unnecessary violence than I like, but please bear in mind that this story will not look like this the whole way through. I do not take pleasure in injuring protagonists needlessly, and I will try and make sure that what happens here won't happen again later in the story. (I have plans for injuries, yes, but not as sudden and random as in this first chapter.)**

**Please review!**

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Heart pounding, adrenaline rushing, coursing through Kai's veins, fighting with his head, trying to make him lose his focus. He took a well-balanced step toward his opponent and continued a series of counter-attacks, warding off the blade of his opponent, who seemed intent on making sure his dark blade stuck home. The two blades were shining brightly as they clashed in the light of the shining sun. Their weapons eventually drew apart and they circled each other once again, treading lightly on the soft, well-kept grass that seemed to be waiting patiently for the two adversaries to leave so the courtyard would once again be peaceful and full of birdsong.

Kai stared into his opponent's eyes. Greyish-blue eyes, eyes that shone with a light and a wisdom that told his young opponent to watch his step. Eyes that seemed to say, 'one _wrong move, and you will be dead_.'

Kai held up his sword and continued circling the man who's greying brown hair was dripping with sweat from exertion and the heat of the noonday sun. The young man waited for an opening, slowly losing his patience as they continued breathing heavily, watching each other, and waiting for the opening in the other's defenses that was sure to come...

Kai finally found one and struck with the speed of a panther, using a deadly combination of strikes as he was met, to his dismay, with the all-to-familiar sound of metal crashing upon metal. The opponent had anticipated the next move of the impatient young man and had instantly brought his sword up to block. The man got Kai's sword in a lock at the hilt and jerked it out of his fiery-eyed opponent's hand, the strength and momentum of his arm throwing the sword through the air and into the dirt a ways off in the courtyard.

Kai knelt breathlessly and bowed his head in defeat. "Well done, father." He panted. He licked his dry, cracked lips and breathed deeply, forcing his breathing to slow.

The elderly man smiled and helped the young man to his feet. "You have gotten better, my son." He praised, returning Kai's sword to him.

Kai took it with a nod and sheathed it. "Thank you." He was pleased with the results of his training over the last few years. When he had first lifted his sword against his father in this courtyard he could hardly hold it upright because it was so heavy. But now the sword was a part of him. It was an extension of his arm, doing the will of his mind without hesitation or question. The problem was that his mind had a will outside of Kaytake's teachings. He had some habits that mere training could not break.

"You must learn to control your impatience, Kai." The elderly man led his son to the well and they took a long drink. He wiped his face and continued. "One day, you will be a knight. And when that time comes, you must be ready to defend king Garmadon and all of Ninjago with your life." He sighed. "You cannot do that when you are so impatient that your sword moves without a thought. Impatience makes many errors."

Kai nodded and leaned against the well, to relieve the pressure of standing for hours during the many duels. "I understand," he said as he took another deep breath, calming his heart a little more, and helping circulate the adrenaline out of his pulsing veins. "Are we done for the day?"

Kaytake nodded, smiling kindly. "Yes Kai, you may go."

Kai nodded and slowly administered the weight back onto his feet. "Yes sir," he walked at a leisurely pace down the pretty, uniformly shaped tiles of the garden path. He took in a deep breath, his senses enjoying what his mother would call a perfect day. He looked over a variety of flowers in all different hues, shapes, and sizes. The aroma that they let off melded into a harmonious smell that left the mind of any mortal man sharp and clear, and yet distant and dreamy, all at once in sharp juxtaposition, opposites that attracted one another appealingly.

There seemed to be something almost magical about his mother's garden. He listened to the sound of his sister's birds, some of which flew around the heads of any who passed by, competing over who's tune was the most melodious and sprightly. Other birds sat in the trees, too shy to join into the fray, but just gregarious enough to lend their voices to the ears of any man who was patient enough to listen. Kai breathed deeply and contentedly as his ears picked up the distant sounds of the fountain in the middle of the garden. It was surrounded by beautiful bushes in a variegation of colors like green with large, splaying buds of purple, yellow, and warm carmine.

Kai reached down and picked a berry off of a bush on the side of the path, looking in all directions to make sure Nya was not nearby to see it. He popped it into his mouth quickly and began to hum with the birds chorus as his tongue broke the delicate skin of the tiny fruit.

"What are you eating?" A pleasant voice spoke up behind him, making him inhale sharply in surprise and get the berry lodged in his throat. He braced his legs and coughed loudly until the snitched snack fell down his throat.

He turned and glared at his sister, red in the face from frustration, minor asphyxiation and embarrassment. "Food, you sneak," he growled playfully. He felt a tickling sensation in his hair and held up his hand. A tiny bird, no larger than his thumb, seized his skin with tiny claws and let out a chirp as the young man lowered his hand and held the bird in front of him. He observed the unique flight-enabled creature for a moment. Its body was a sharp black color, with an almost nacreous coating of green and purple. Its deep black eyes looked at Kai inquiringly, as if wondering what had made its friend cry out and choke.

Nya let out a laugh. "No, really?" She began strolling down the cobblestone casually, beckoning her brother to follow. "I was almost certain you were eating rocks."

Kai chuckled and strolled beside her, stroking the bird gently with a light finger. His sister's deadpan sense of humor never got tiring. "You got me," he said. "But Cheeky here gets away with it all the time." The little bird let out a sharp chirp of protest and hopped frenetically up and down Kai's finger. Kai let out a laugh and held up his hand, so that the bird was eye to eye with him. "You're supposed to be on my side, Cheeks." He reprimanded the tiny pet. He was not certain what had given him the idea for the bird's name. Most definitely not its face, which was narrow and streamlined. Perhaps it was the bird's saucy sense of humor.

Cheeks nipped at his nose and let out a trill. Kai rolled his eyes and used his thumb to pry the bird's tiny black claws off of his skin. "Get out of here." He shooed it playfully. The bird spread its wings, a span of about five inches, and shot into the air, gliding over to a berry bush and landing there, staring at its masters momentarily before grabbing a tiny berry in its beak and swallowing it whole. It did this several times before Kai and Nya finally looked at each other and let out a laugh.

"I swear that bird seems to know exactly what we were saying." Nya giggled and punched her brother's arm. "Let's go for a ride."

Kai smirked at Nya and nodded. "Okay," he dashed off down the path toward the stable. He looked over his shoulder and shouted, "I'll race you to the beach!"

Nya heard his voice and scoffed, leaning on one foot and counting to ten before dashing off after him. Her booted feet hit the stones in rapid motions, sure footed and swift. She flew into the stable and saddled the horse quickly, leaping onto the mount's back before Kai had even put the bit in his horse's mouth. She trotted easily out of the barn and shouted behind her, "I'll beat you to the beach!" She flashed him a cheeky smile and urged the horse to go faster, leaning forward in the saddle and guiding the horse down the path into the trees.

She heard a sound behind her and looked back, suppressing a giggle when she saw Kai barreling after her. She kicked the horse and squeezed her legs in the saddle, easily keeping her balance. It was the result of a lifetime of riding through these woods.

Kai suddenly appeared next to her, waving challengingly for a moment before ahead.

As hard as Nya tried, she could not quite beat her older brother. The ocean was a distance of about ten miles from the mansion. Kai came to a stop at the sandy shoreline and hopped off of his horse, patting its brown, sweaty hide fondly before turning to his sister, who had also just dismounted.

They were in a large cove surrounded on both sides by hundred foot cliffs. The waves that crashed against the shore were small and tranquil, only coming to about a yard above the high tide line, curling daintily and wetting the fine sand that made up the border between land and sea.

Nya simply dropped her reins, trusting the trained horse to not run, and tackled her brother to the ground with a loud laugh that echoed off the rocky walls. "No fair, Kai!" She tried to pin his arms to the ground and sit on his chest.

Kai roles his eyes at her futile attempts to keep him grounded, and simply wrapped his arms around her and stood up, keeping her arms uselessly pinned next to her body. "That was plenty fair," he stated, letting her wiggle free. "You gave me a head start."

Nya sighed and shook the sand off of her clothing. "Fine," she sat down in the sand and messed with her boots. "Let's go wading."

Kai opened his mouth to answer when he heard a faint sound, and turned in its direction with alarm. "Nya," he said, pulling her to her feet and pushing her toward her horse. "Run, quick!"

Nya looked up in the sky and gasped. "Is that a ship?" Her feet felt as of they were glued to the ground in her alarm. There was only one ship in Ninjago that flew in the sky; Sir Cole's Black Bounty.

Kai nodded. "Run, Nya." He pushed her again, getting frantic. "We need to hide before they see us." He got onto his horse and urged it forward, knowing in the pit of his stomach that they were too late. He just prayed that the captain and his crew of stone warriors weren't in a pillaging mood.

The ground started rumbling beneath them, and a moment later a shadow darkened their path.

"Run, Nya!" Kai shouted again, dismounting and drawing his sword as the ship's anchor dropped between them and the safety of the trees. "Get out of here, and don't look back."

Nya stopped her horse stubbornly and dismounted as well, drawing her own sword. "I don't think so." Her voice was firm and harsh.

Kai glared at his sister and shook his head. "The Dark Knight's warriors are invincible. One of us needs to get out of this alive." He gripped his sword tighter and stood between her and the anchor chain, which was now blocking any possible way of escape. The ship lowered itself to the ground between them and the sheltering forest.

Kai's heart raced in his chest as he unwillingly recalled all of the rumors he had heard about this crew of ruthless people. If people they may be called, as the only known human on the ship would be Sir Cole, the Dark Knight. The others would be stone warriors, who were as fearless as they were vicious. No one knew much about them, except that they came from the Dark Island and had been created by the Overlord, who had been trying to take over Ninjago for as long as anyone could remember. Cole was just as mysterious, having no known relatives or friends. He had just appeared out of the blue perhaps a year ago, and had been the terror of the country ever since. Some said that he could lift a truck with ease, and was almost impossible to defeat in hand-to-hand combat.

The first face to appear on the deck belonged to a smaller than average face, green, deep set eyes and long black hair, held back carelessly in a piece of old twine. He wore a large, flamboyant black hat crested with a deep purple and crimson plume, proudly displaying the colors of his master, the Overlord. The man jumped to the ground, his long black cloak half obscuring his white tunic and black pants, which were tucked neatly into knee high, loose black leather boots, which were careworn, but still sharp and clean nonetheless. His lips were pulled in a thin line that suggested disapproval, his clean shaven, squared face was tanned from months of being out in the weather aboard his ship, doing raids in Ninjago. His eyebrows were thick, of the same color as his hair, and were so close to his eyes that Kai had a had time telling whether or not he was angry or his face just always had that natural glower.

The Dark Knight held up a hand, silently ordering his army of stone warriors to stay back. He strode forward, glaring into the young man's eyes as he walked.

"So," Cole's voice was loud enough for all to hear, up on the ship and on the ground. "May I ask who you are?"

Kai swallowed hard, acutely aware of his dangerous predicament. If Cole found out their real names then, as the children of the Lord Kaytake, he knew they would become prisoners. "My name, good sir..." Kai thought fast. "Is Kirk. And this is my...friend...Natalie." He didn't want the man to know that they were related either. That could also be dangerous.

Cole stared at Kai harder, then shook his head in pity. "You are such bad liars." He took another step forward, now only six feet from where the two siblings stood with their swords drawn. He took out his own and pointed casually at their drawn weapons. "I don't know who you are yet, but I do know that you are lying. I can see it in your eyes."

Nya stepped away from her brother and spoke. "And who wouldn't lie, when they know that their lives are in danger?" She sheathed her sword, just to appear unafraid. In reality, her insides felt like jelly, and she was wondering if she was the only one who could hear her heart beating. She cleared her throat and spoke with authority. "His real name is Kale. And I am Nasala."

Cole scoffed. "That was a little better. But I'm still not convinced." He gestured to the horses. "You are noblemen and women. Your horses raiment gives that much away." He pointed his sword back at the couple. "And you are siblings. I can see it easily. The same brown eyes, same high cheekbones, and same fingers."

Kai vaguely wondered why on earth the Dark Knight thought their fingers were worth mentioning, but didn't have much time to think much else, as the man had started speaking again.

Cole took another step forward. "And...I have some orders from my master..." He said in a hinting manner, alluding to something that made Kai's heart drop. The queerly dressed man swung his sword casually, and then started drawing pictures in the dirt with its point, as if he were bored. "I was told that Lord Kaytake had two children named Kai and Nya." He glanced up at them nonchalantly before continuing. "And I am to take the boy to my master as soon as possible. He doesn't care what I do to the girl." He took one more step, now close enough for them to smell his horrid breath. He leaned in and examined Nya, a repugnant smile puckering at his lips as he stroked her face with his calloused fingers. Kai reached out and slapped the man's hand, making Cole recoil and glare at him. "Insolent fool, I will do as I please." He stamped his foot angrily, making dirt fly. "You are in no position to be pushing me around."

Kai stepped between the Dark Knight and his sister, waving his sword angrily. "You'll have to kill me first, you dog." He growled.

Sir Cole shrugged and took a step back. "She's hardly worth the trouble. I have no use for a girl like her." He looked at his opponent's sword. "Drop the sword and come easily, Kai. Or else I will do something we will both regret."

Kai held up his sword shakily. "No, you bastard."

Cole rolled his eyes and held up his own sword. "My orders are to get you to the Dark Island unharmed, but..." He paused, mostly for dramatic effect, before he lashed his sword out and hit a very unsuspecting Nya in the stomach with it, lodging it just a few inches before pulling it out. He could have gone all the way through, but he felt it was an unnecessary waste of life. If he killed her, Kai lost his liability. He wanted to make Kai come, which was a task that took more that mere violence to accomplish. "As I said, no specific orders on the girl." He wiped his blade in the grass and sheathed it.

Kai went off like a bomb, shouting out his sister's name and dropping his sword in the underbrush, catching Nya just before she hit the ground.

Nya took rapid breaths and held her middle tightly, pain ripping through her body as she went limp in his arms, feeling a strong urge to cry as her fingers grew wet with blood from her abdomen. "Don't leave me, Kai," she whispered frantically.

Kai started breathing heavily as his vision blurred with tears. He hugged his sister gently before setting her in the sand. "No, Nya, I can't let them hurt you anymore." He let go of her hand and walked hesitantly over to Cole. "Alright." His voice shook with anger and emotion. "You win, I'll come. Don't hurt her anymore."

Cole smiled cruelly. "Good," he held up his hand again and jerked his wrist, pointing at his new captive. A stone warrior jumped off of the Bounty with a rope and bound Kai's wrists tightly.

Nya watched with swirling vision as her brother was led roughly onto the ship. It took off into the air moments later, flying toward the Northern realm with so much speed it left her head spinning.

She closed her eyes tightly, knowing that she was losing too much blood to stay awake much longer. She wished that unconsciousness would come, so she could just be free of the pain, and oblivious to the mess that had unfolded in a matter of minutes before her eyes. She was dying in the sparse brush between the woods and the ocean cliffs, her life blood moistening the ground. Worst of all, her brother had been taken, to be tortured or killed, or both, on account of her and her carelessness.

It was on this note that she finally found rest, if rest it could be called, for her sleep was filled with dreams of her brother's suffering that was sure to come.

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A shadowy figure dashed through the trees, his close-cropped brown hair tucked neatly behind his ears. Even if he _was_ a wanted criminal in the Northern realm, he prided himself in always looking his best.

He heard a distant rumble and gasped, skidding to a sudden stop. "Sir Cole!" He whispered. He could see the ship in the distance, between the two cliffs that sheltered the large cove. He jumped into a tree, hoping to wait them out. His heart sunk when the ship descended toward the sandy beach, which was now obscured from his vision by the large cliffs. "Calm down, Jay." He whispered to himself. "They're not coming for you...right?" He wondered if Cole was still mad about that incident a couple years back when...

He didn't want to think about it.

He waited patiently for a few minutes, when the ship took off again, going parallel to the shore, toward the Northern realm. He leapt down from the tree and snuck toward the beach. Perhaps they had been dumping unwanted spoils, as was often the case with the Dark Knight and his bothersome stone warriors.

He flitted around the trees as silent as a breath of wind, just in case Cole had dropped off a few soldiers to do a raid. Jay had found out the hard way a few months back that the dark haired man (with an ugly tan) did that frequently. He perked his ears at a sound in the distance and went tense, in a flee-or-fight mode as his eyes darted around for the source of the noise.

A grey horse nickered quietly nearby, and Jay relaxed slightly. It was riderless, and clearly quite confused. The man let out a light chuckle and tiptoed toward the horse, the scant underbrush rustling beneath his supple leather boots, stolen from Lord Julien's son, who had been foolish enough to leave them in his cart while he went to get fresh produce from that swindler who sold his fruits at twice their...

Jay stopped his train of thought, finding the need to focus on the scene before him. He slowly reached out to the horse and patted its face, looking around for signs of its master. He shook his head sadly. The poor rider was probably the reason Cole had stopped in the first place. Jay was certain that whoever owned this horse was either a prisoner or dead, the latter being the most likely of the two options.

He slowly guided the horse toward the beach, thinking that there may still be a chance of some spoils from the Black Bounty.

The trees became sparse, and he squinted as he scanned the bright horizon. The sun was beginning to fall toward the cliffs, signaling night's fast approach. He needed to get back to his cave in the cliffs about a mile beyond where he was before it got dark. But he decided that he had a bit more time, since he now had a horse.

And a fine one at that. He watched its muscles ripple underneath the smooth skin and grinned to himself. He got lost in his thought again for several minutes as he examined the horse absentmindedly, wondering at his immense luck to have found such a beast. He didn't even have to steal it. It was rightfully his, unless someone came out of the trees and shot him with an arrow to get it back.

The thought of an arrow jolted him once again out of his thoughts and he glanced around him, half expecting an enemy to jump out of the trees. _Your __imagination gets the better of you more than could possibly be healthy, Jay. _He scolded himself as he noticed a strange lump on the ground ahead of him, and paused a moment before forcing his feet into a quicker pace so he could find out what it was. He let out a gasp as dropped the reins to the ground, running toward the lump as soon as he recognized the shape. _A girl...dead or alive? _

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**Writing Jay is fun. He has such a random mind, it's hard to get him wrong.**

**And don't get me started on Nya. That girl is the hugest ****drama queen. _'Life blood moistening the ground...' _Haha. That's her words, not mine. A royal pain. **

**I will be updating this story every Tuesday. Maybe I'll get into Fridays later, but I'm too busy to keep up with that right now. **

**Just a heads up, Zane will be introduced in the next chapter. Of course I didn't forget my favorite Nindroid, sheesh. Anyone who's read my other stories may notice that this is my very first chapter with no Zane in it. It just doesn't feel right...(Epilogues don't count, okay?)**

**I am not proud of what I've done to Cole. I am trying to envision the darker side of his ****personality and pull it out into the open. And I don't like what I've found very much. He can be quite terrible. **

**You may notice that this story differs from _Overlord's Revenge _in the sense that it has action in the first chapter. XD in my first novel, the action scenes didn't start until at least chapter five. I'm going to experiment with this, and see if harrowing adventures in the first couple thousand words will leave me with more subscribers. (Though I am afraid that this might have escalated far to quickly...) **

**Please leave a comment, constructive criticism appreciated! (Nothing is more embarrassing than a misspelled word that no one bothers to tell you about, you know what I mean?) **


	2. Trepidation

**Yeah, give me a break. I suck at titles. The name of this story is proof of that. Besides, 'trepidation' is a fun word to say, sorta like Francisco...**

**Did anyone else get that Elf quote? **

**Thank you, everyone who supported me through Overlord's revenge (OR). I wish that I was allowed to PM people, so I could thank each and every one of you for the wonderful comments. And ForeverDreamer12, thank you so much. Your review almost brought me to tears. I feel so motivated now from each and every one of you. I am surprised that no one flamed me, though. It was a rather terrible ****ending, all things considered. Character deaths annoy me a lot (Think Finnick, Boggs, and everyone else in Hunger Games.) Is it hypocritical to enjoy writing them? **

**I am amazed by how popular this story has become. Seriously, I uploaded chapter 20 of 'OR' on monday night, then chapter 1 of True Grit (TG) the next morning. I went to my room to get my schoolwork done, and my phone wouldn't leave me alone. It vibrated (I am not kidding!) every ten minutes at ****least, with people reviewing, favoriting and following TG and OR. That totally made my day, thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I'd never gotten so many Fanfiction emails in all my life...or in the last few months, since I didn't have any stories up until maybe December. ;) You would not believe how much that means to me, knowing that I have as many supporters as I do. I feel motivated!**

**To answer a reviewer's valid question about character deaths: I have no clue, sorry. Deaths, for me, are a thing I just do when it feels like the right time to do it. Everyone who has read any of my other stories, (the Christmas one excluded, of course,) knows that I have at least one character death in each story. This one will probably not be ****exempt, though I'm not certain of who I'm going to exterminate next.**

**What? Don't like that word? Hmm...Thesaurus says massacre, slaughter...butcher...slay...O-o**

**...Oh my Overlord, I'm going to stick with exterminate...**

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Kai looked down at the ground. At his sister, who lay in a pool of blood. His eyes blurred with tears and he shut them tightly, trying to stay strong and brave, though he felt like neither at the moment.

"What do you want with me, you beast?" He asked venomously. He felt the rope leash around his wrist jerk suddenly, and he was forced to open his eyes again and take a step to keep from falling over.

Sir Cole held the rope in small, sturdy fingers, twirling it tauntingly as he took his time in answering. "You are one of the prophesied knights, are you not?"

Kai raised an eyebrow at his captor in confusion. "I know of no prophesies." His lips moved in tight, controlled movements as he forced himself to not shout.

The Dark Knight chuckled and began walking across the deck toward the door to the downstairs, prisoner in tow. "According to my master, the Overlord, you are one of four prophesied knights who will aid in one day destroying my Lord's kingdom." He opened the door to the staircase and roughly pushed aside an unfortunate stone warrior who happened to have been running up the steps at that moment. "You need to know no more."

Kai carefully walked down the steps, trying hard to keep his balance with no hands as the jerky movements of the ship almost threw him into Cole's back. "No, I suppose I don't," he said bitterly. "But I would like to know more, though."

Cole opened up another door and walked through in short, swinging steps. "Don't we all?" He roughly shoved Kai into the room. "See you later, weakling." His voice was heated and bitter.

Kai fell to the floor and let out an involuntary cry of pain as he landed flat on his face, unable to save himself from the fall because of his bound hands. He rolled over just as Cole slammed the door shut. A faint clicking sound came from the wooden door, and Kai knew that he was locked in.

He slowly and painfully sat up and scooted across the wooden planks, eventually hitting the back wall, where he simply lay with his shoulders and wrists twisted uncomfortably behind him, unable to do anything to better his situation.

Kai growled as he tried to escape the bonds, yielding no success. _How hard would it have been to simply untie me, or at least loosen the bonds?_ He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself not to shout. He was a man. Shocking, abrupt circumstances where you get kidnapped and your siblings get wounded...that was just another day as Lord Kaytake's son, right? He would be fine. He would get home, and Nya would be fine.

He let out a shaky sigh, knowing fully well that he was not convincing himself. Not by a long shot. He opened his eyes and shook his head slowly, his skull rolling against the wall painfully. "Nya..." He whispered, whatever grief he had left in him gave way to fury. His fingers clenched against the bonds, and he felt a rising heat course through his veins. He quickly tempered it and sighed again, not wanting rage to control him right now. It was his impulsiveness that got his sister hurt in the first place. He could _not_ afford a mistake like that again.

He sat against the wall and tried to put his mind at rest, but was simply unable to. After about an hour, his fingers went numb and his shoulders began to throb. Another hour, and he decided to get onto his feet and start pacing, if only to keep the rest of his body from losing circulation. He eventually started counting his steps, feeling the need to do something besides beat himself up for his stupidity.

"Six hundred and forty three..." Kai's eyes were narrowed and harsh, as if he fully expected to burn holes through the wood floor. He quickly took another step forward. "Six hundred forty four...six hundred forty five..." A faint click alerted him to an intruder. He immediately stopped pacing and whirled around to face whoever it was.

Sir Cole strode into the room with a bowl of some green substance that Kai assumed was food, though he wasn't sure that he wanted it. The smell that assaulted his senses made him feel sick.

"You need a new cook." He stated sourly, wriggling his sweaty, numb fingers behind his back.

Cole glared at him. "That 'cook' you are referring to would be me, prisoner." His voice came slowly, each word popping like an object forced through a tube too narrow for it to come out easily. "Watch your tongue." He bent down and the dish down on the floor. He stood up again and went nose to nose with Kai. "Turn around."

Kai obeyed, and was happy to find that the short man was untying him. "Well," his voice was snarky. "I pity your crew." His arms were freed, and fell useless at his side from the hours of inactivity.

Cole whirled his captive around and punched his face, a loud smack of flesh against flesh. Kai fell to the floor, left in a daze as the Dark Knight grabbed his shirt and lifted him above his head effortlessly. Kai gasped for breath as his body weight fell onto his chest area. His angry captor's head swirled in and out of focus, and his jaw felt like it had split in two.

Cole threw Kai to the ground harshly and glared at him. "You will learn to hold your tongue, boy." He slid the bowl of soup over to Kai's limp form with his foot. "I would stay and make you pay more for your lack of respect, but I have another raid to make. I'll be back in ten minutes." He turned on one heel and stomped out of the room, slamming it so hard Kai was certain that the door must have splintered. He was surprised to see, when he looked up, that the wooden door had remained intact.

He groaned and fell onto his back in a tangle of limp arms and legs, every part of him aching. His jaw felt like it was on fire, his chest felt like a horse was standing on him, and his arms felt like they were getting pricked by millions of dull needles, trying to puncture his skin, bruising the tender flesh as they pushed, but not puncturing.

He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the putrid smell coming from the bowl near his leg, and wondered how on earth Cole could be so strong, so menacing, and so sure of himself. _And such a bad cook_. He said he had a raid to make, and also that he'd be back in ten minutes. Fast, deadly, efficient. That's how the Dark Knight and his crew worked. In and out before you even knew what was going on, and before Kaytake, Julien, or even the king himself could react.

_Click._

He heard the door open again and looked up, realizing that he must have fallen unconscious. He let out a groan and sat up, just in time to see that Cole had brought in another captive. A tall, fair faced man who was clad much like his captor. White shirt, black pants and boots. But this man had on a white cloak and no hat, revealing platinum blond hair that stuck almost straight up, the result of what Kai could only imagine was hours of painstaking grooming. His eyes were a bright, almost greyish blue hue, he had high cheekbones and elongated face. Almost the opposite of Cole's, which was squared, this man almost looked stretched. Every part of him, from his long face and hands to his height, was long. Not irregularly long, just not square. He stood well over five feet, roughly scraping six, while Cole was just over five.

_I swear I've seen him before, _Kai thought to himself.

Cole shoved the man to the ground with a force harder than was necessary. "That'll teach you, you insolent dog." He hissed, sniffing as a trail of blood ran out of one nostril. He looked over at Kai, then at the bowl near his feet. "You haven't eaten?" The trickle reached his lips, though he seemed to not notice.

Kai realized that he probably should have done so. He felt that this meeting would not go well no matter which way he spun it, so he spat out, "forgive me if the smell makes one sick enough to lose their appetite for life, your majesty."

Cole stepped forward and grabbed Kai's shirt, roughly dragging the man to his feet. He stared at his rebellious captive for one long moment before slapping his cheek so hard that the newer captive on the floor winced as the sound echoed through the room.

Kai forced himself to fight the wave of nausea, and blinked away the sea of stars that flooded his vision as he took a single step back for balance.

Cole didn't even speak. He simply turned and walked out with slow, deliberate steps out of the room, shutting it calmly behind him and locking it before the sound of his heavy boots echoed down the hallway.

Kai eventually looked at the man and smiled grimly. "Well that went better then expected." He shakily dropped to one knee and helped the man to a sitting position before undoing the bonds. "So what's your story, good sir?"

The man rubbed his wrists and sighed. "Thank you, friend." His voice was soft and calm, making Kai wonder if this man thought he was out on a stroll instead of kidnapped by the Dark Knight.

"Are you all right?" Kai asked, cautious of the man's strange demeanor. _Is he insane?_

The man nodded. "Thank you for your concern." He looked long and hard at Kai's face, as if taking in every detail. He frowned and tentatively touched Kai's growing purple bruise from the slap, and the larger one on his jaw from his punch mere minutes before. Kai felt a strong urge to step back, but decided to wait a moment. The man didn't seem to be threatening him.

"You are not all right, though." He said softly, pulling his hand back and setting it on his lap. "I sense that your jaw wound is fresh, as is the one on your chest. What did he do to you?"

Kai glanced at his chest with a growing feeling of confusion and panic. His chest was covered. How could this man possibly know...

He scooted a few feet away from the man, wondering if insanity was contagious. "I made him mad, nothing new." He hugged his knees to his chest and ignored the feeling of pain as his knees touched the bruised area. "My name is Kai."

The man looked frighteningly nonchalant. "Son of Kaytake?" He asked, his voice unchanging. He struck out a hand. "I am Zane Julien, son of Lord Julien." He smiled. "You may remember, we met once or twice during parties in Ninjago City."

Kai hesitantly reached out and took the hand. _So that's how I recognized him..._ "Yeah, that's me." He said shortly, staring at the man's smile. You would think that this man was on a picnic with his girl, instead of a captive with torture or death before him. It was so casual and out of place.

Zane rolled onto his back and wrapped himself in his white cloak, closing his eyes. "Fascinating. I wonder why the Dark Knight is kidnapping noblemen. A strange sport, even for him." He started breathing deeply, and Kai realized, with some incredulousness, that the man was sleeping.

Kai rubbed his forehead and groaned, scooting over to the far wall once again and closing his own eyes, not blaming Zane for wanting sleep, but a little creeped out by the way he had done it so suddenly. _This 'Zane' is a complete madman._

* * *

Nya woke up slowly, forcing herself not to open her eyes as she tried to figure out where she was. She twitched her fingers at her sides, and guessed that she had been sleeping on furs, because of the soft texture.

She heard footsteps and tensed, afraid that it was Sir Cole. But whoever it was didn't speak or touch her, so she eventually relaxed and went back to observing without eyes. The person's footsteps echoed faintly, so she decided that they were in a cave of some sort. She also heard crackling, and felt warmth on one side of her face, suggesting a fire. The cave smelled faintly of smoke and damp earth, only fueling her confidence in that theory.

She opened her eyes a crack out of curiosity, and was not surprised to find that she was right. A lone man was sitting with his back turned to her, stoking a small fire. It was dark outside, and the soft moonlight was trying very hard to make itself known through the bright light of the fire.

_Not Sir Cole, and not Kai either, _she thought despairingly. Distrust hit her full force. She was not safe here. She was injured, her father and brother unable to protect her from whoever this man was. She needed to find her horse and leave.

She tried to sit up and let out an involuntary gasp of pain as her abdomen suddenly felt like fire. _Nice move, Nya. _She scolded herself. _Now he knows you are awake. _

The man turned to face her and nodded. "Hey there." He gave a casual salute and stood up. He walked over to where she lay and knelt down on one knee. "How do you feel?" A cheeky smile bunched one cheek.

Nya felt frightened, having this man so close to her. She could smell the tangy scent of new leather from his vest, and a smoky odor clung to his blue cotton shirt. He seemed to sense her trepidation, and shuffled backwards a single step and sat on his legs. "My name is Jay." He smiled warmly and struck out a hand.

Nya took it hesitantly and nodded, his calloused fingers squeezing hers gently. "I'd rather not give away my identity," she paused, but only for a second. "But...just call me Natalie for now."

Jay laughed, trying to relieve the tension. "On the run like me, eh?" He checked himself. "I mean...on the run from bad guys, and don't want people knowing where you are?" He chuckled nervously. He wasn't sure why he had lied. It just felt safer than the truth.

Nya raised an eyebrow. "Actually, no. Not really. All the 'bad guys' probably think I'm dead. I'm safe for a while."

Jay shook his head, hip lips curling upwards in a strange smile. "Sir Cole never lets his prey escape, Natalie. He knows you are alive."

Nya shot him an angry, perturbed look. "How did you know about that?" _Is he working for them? _The idea filled her with dread. _What does he want from me?  
_

Jay stood up and walked over to the fire, putting a good fifteen feet between them. That girl was as dangerous to approach as she was beautiful. He didn't want her to feel like a cornered animal. "I saw his ship pass overhead, saw you on the ground half dead, and I saw a pretty grey mare grazing with a lost look on its face."

Nya was relieved that her horse had been found. With any luck, she could escape and find her way back to her family's mansion.

Jay found no other words to say, so made up something on the fly. He stood up, went to a corner of the room, and grabbed a small sack. He went over to Nya slowly, not wanting her to feel like a caged animal. _The poor girl, _he thought to himself. _What did Cole do to her, to make her so uneasy?_ "You hungry?" The rough canvas rubbed against his fingers, making them itch.

Nya nodded slowly and tried to sit up. She let out a groan involuntarily as her shoulders left the furs, and then slumped and fell back onto the warm makeshift bed.

Jay set down the sack and took a step forward. "You need some help?" He asked patiently, taking her short nod as a signal that it was safe to approach. _A nod accompanied by an averted gaze and trembling lips, _He frowned slightly, wondering vaguely if she felt that he was the enemy. He got onto his knees and slowly helped her sit upright, propping her back against the wall.

Nya groaned again as her stomach was forced to move. "How long will I be stuck like this?" She asked, grinding her teeth and ignoring the tremor in her heart as she tried not so lash out at the man who, all things considered, looked about as dangerous as her pet bird, Cheeks. _Looks can __deceive, _she told herself firmly.

Jay laid the blankets on her lap and reached over to grab the sack. "Until you're healed." His blue eyes flashed with good humor as he shuffled around in the bag. "What do you want?" He eventually just handed her the sack, unable to decide what to offer her. "Help yourself, I don't mind."

Nya took the bag and selected an apple. "Thanks," she handed the rough sack back and took a bite of the sweet fruit, all the while not taking her eyes off of Jay. She did not trust him one bit.

Jay snorted at her and shuffled through the bag, tossing a few strips of dried meat on her lap. "If you're not going to help yourself, I'll do it for you." He turned on his heel and tossed the bag back into the corner. He once again sat down next to his fire, back turned from his guest.

Nya let out a gasp and nearly screamed in terror as the reddish brown objects came flying at her. They landed on her lap, and she relaxed slightly when she saw what they were.

_Not weapons, Nya, _she reassured herself. _He's trying to help you. _She looked at Jay, who had not noticed her sudden panic, then back down at her lap. When she thought about it, she realize that she wasn't really that hungry at all. She slowly chewed the fruit and ignored the meat.

She watched Jay in silence as he started to doze, his forehead drooping toward his folded knees before shooting up again. This happened several times before he finally got up and started pacing, to get some circulation back into his legs. _He's waiting for something, _she grew more anxious as she watched him move.

"Why don't you just go to sleep?" She asked, not feeling comfortable with him obviously forcing himself to stay awake. _Is he hiding something from me? _She wondered if the man was alone, and just how safe she actually was in his presence. _Is he waiting for someone? __  
_

Jay stopped pacing and looked at her, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Because I need to stay up for you," he said. "I've been awake since I first found you in the woods around dusk, and I didn't want you to wake up in a dark cave, with a sleeping person. Goodness knows what you might have done, if you didn't have someone to give you the lowdown on the situation right off the bat." He ran his fingers through his hair, flattening a few unruly strands. "I know I'd nearly go insane."

Nya wasn't sure whether or not to accept his answer. "Well," she began, "I'm awake now, you should try to get some sleep before dawn." She could tell that the sun would be making its appearance within an hour, and she wanted him to be asleep, so she could make an escape.

Jay looked down at her lap and saw that the meat was untouched. She had not even finished the apple, which she held in subtly shaking fingers. "You need to eat, Natalie," he insisted. "I'm not going to help you lie down until you eat more." His dark blue eyes bore into her with a firmness that told Nya that he was not joking.

She rolled her eyes. "It's much easier to lay down than to get back up." Her voice was terse, with threads of anger running through it. "I'll move myself, thank you." To prove her point, she slid slowly toward the furs again, trying to mask the pain as fire ran through her wound again.

Jay looked ready to burst at the seams with sudden fret. His eyes widened in alarm as he dropped to his knees. "Okay, fine." He held out a hand, ready to catch her body and try to help her lie down.

Nya slapped his hand sharply, a sound that echoed through the cavern for several seconds. The only sound for another long moment thereafter was the crackling flames, as both Nya and Jay simply stared at each other in shock and horror.

Jay slowly drew his hand away, his eyes shaking as they darted to the cavern wall, then back to her face as he got to his feet and backed up several steps before pulling his lips into a thin line and turning his back to her, slowly sinking to his knees next to the fire and stoking it with an iron poker. He laid down on his side, not daring to face her, and pulled a blanket up to his chin.

Nya's heart thumped heavily in her chest as she realized what she had done. "I'm sorry, Jay." She spoke to the still form. She lowered herself onto the furs, the physical pain not comparable to the pain in her heart. "I...I was afraid that you were trying to..."

Jay's body moved slowly with his breathing. He did not answer, appalled by the fact that she would ever fear something like that from him. He watched the flames as the rose and fell, wondering how on earth he would ever gain enough of her trust to even speak to her, let alone carry on a halfway pleasant conversation.

_A beautiful thing, _he thought to himself as the orange, red and yellow tongues danced together on the bed of charred wood. _Wild, __untamable, and undeniably beautiful. _

* * *

"What?" Kaytake jumped from his seat abruptly, his wife, Driniah, following him out of the room with a gasp.

"What do you mean by 'they're gone'?" He demanded, staring the guard down. "Since when? How?"

The guard, a man of muscular build, with closely cropped blond hair and shallow blue eyes, tapped at his leather belt nervously, knowing how his master could get in a fit of temper. Not wild and rude, but certainly fearsome. "I-I'm sorry, sir." He stuttered. "But that's all I know. They ran off on horses, we all assumed they were going to the shore. You know how often they like-"

Lord Kaytake cut him off. "I am well aware of this fact, general." He said shortly, waving his hand. "But that does not explain anything. How long have they been missing?" His boots made a muffled thump as he nearly ran down the hall.

The general paused a moment, walking fast to keep up. "They left shortly after your fencing lesson this afternoon, my lord. One of the horses returned about ten minutes ago, riderless. And the scabbard was empty."

Kaytake paused at the front door and looked at his wife with concern. "I fear the worst, Driniah," he said. He looked back at the general. "Gather a group of ten men, meet me at the front gate in five minutes."

The general bowed at the waist. "Yes sir." He ran out into the courtyard and disappeared.

Kaytake took Driniah's hand and pulled her forward. "Let's go."

Neither of them remembered how they got to the gate. All they knew was that they got there, on horses, where eleven men were waiting for them on their own beasts.

"Find my children, men," he ordered. "Rescue them at all costs."

The soldiers and general all nodded and kicked their horses forward. "Search the beach, surrounding cliffs and forest." The general ordered. "Kill whoever holds them captive."

* * *

**I am looking for a good story to read here on this site. Can you guys help me out with that? A sad short story? A great action adventure story that's over 70,000 words long? I really don't care. I've browsed tons of stories, but nothing really stuck. I LOVE that story '_On A String,' _by _Winter's Realm,_ and cannot wait for her to finish it! Do you know anything comparable? I like dramatic stories that pull at the heart strings and make me cry. (Think Hunger Games Trilogy, by Suzanne Collins. And I seem to enjoy referencing that book...) Anyways, is there anything you can think of? I'm ****desperate. Thanks! And I don't care if you feel like advertising your own book to me, I'm just looking for suggestions!**

**Oh, wait...Haha I'm supposed to talk about my book here. 'Course, hehe... I knew that. (One of the best Jay one liners ever.) Ummm...please comment? Like, Comment, Subscribe to my channel! T_T Wow. I'm drawing a blank. See you next Tuesday! **


	3. Infliction

**Is everyone tired of evil Cole yet? I'm actually starting to like him...not a good sign for all of you, I might just keep him evil, maybe have him kill Zane in a horrible, all-out battle...**

**Joking, guys. **

**And by the way, no slash intended in this story.****  
**

**...In other news, in case you haven't looked on my profile, I have a 'Fanfiction status' section next to my Zane/Pixal logo. Check it for updates on...you guessed it...my Fanfiction status. (Please tell me if that wasn't the right word!) **

**Anyway, you'll find the NJTWSIT **_(Try and guess which story that abbreviation belongs to)_** status there, with chapter 3 on the way (hopefully this Friday, but no promises.)**

**Okay, I'll stop it with the parentheses in every other paragraph. (But it's so much fun!)**

**...I hate myself sometimes...**

**Please leave a comment, and tell me if you find a misspelled or misplaced word. Finding one of those is like finding out that you had pizza sauce on your face all day long, and no one bothered to tell you. We've all been there, it's not fun. **

* * *

_("Don't leave me, Kai." Nya's wide eyes looked into his, panicked and full of pain. She reached up with a trembling hand, dripping with red droplets of blood. _

_Kai reached for the hand, to hold her close, to give her comfort, to give her warmth __and security.  
_

_...But his hand found only emptiness. Cold, numb darkness that went straight to his heart.)_

Kai's eyes shot open and he gasped, exhaling a shout. "Nya!" He sat upright and groped for her hand again. He eventually gave up and clutched his chest, panting for breath. "Nya," he whispered, blinking in the darkness.

He heard shuffling next to him and remembered where he was. He let out a growl and went rigid, peering into the gloom intently as the hairs on the back of his neck rose.

"Easy, Kai." A gentle voice said. A silhouette seemingly floated over to his side and sat down next to him in a rustle of cloak and boots. "It's just me."

Kai let out a sigh and leaned his head against the unseen wall. "Sorry, Zane." He said quietly. "Did I wake you up?"

"No," Zane replied. "I have been awake for hours, watching you sleep."

Kai suddenly felt awkward. "Umm..." He wondered what he was supposed to say. _Way to go, Cole, _he thought. _Put us both in the same cell. That'll work out swell. _He felt like slapping himself when he found the rhyme.

Zane quickly found his mistake. "My apologies, that came out wrong." He cleared his throat. "I was gathering information about how you got here by watching your movements as you slept. You moved around a lot. Stressful day?"

Kai raised his eyebrows, even though he knew that Zane couldn't see the gesture. "One of the worst," he rolled his eyes and shut them tightly. _I'm boarding with_ a c_razy sociopath. Great job, Dark Knight. _

"Why did you roll your eyes at me?" Zane asked in a voice that was, as usual, nonchalant and fairly monotonous.

Kai's eyes flew open and he looked at the silhouette. "How did you see that?"

"Night vision," the man replied frankly. There was a long moment of silence, then he got to his feet. "Are you hungry?"

Kai called to mind the bowl, which was probably still sitting on the floor with that noxious glop in it. "I...I guess so." He heeded the cries of his stomach and bruised body, and decided to accept the bowl offered to him in the dark. "Is there a candle in here you can light?" He asked, though he wasn't sure he actually wanted to see the stuff that would be entering his mouth in just a moment...unless common sense overtook him again...

"No," Zane said. "But I have a light in me, if you would like to use some."

Kai found himself wondering what had caused Zane's words to sound so jumbled. "Sure, thanks." He said eventually.

A warm light instantly filled the room, covering everything in its yellow rays.

"Better?" Zane asked.

Kai looked up at his fellow captive and was about to nod, when he realized that the light did not come from a flashlight or lantern. He let out a gasp of alarm and dropped the bowl with a clatter, it's contents spilling on the floor next to him, and he clutched his chest again. "Zane!" He shouted, slumping to the floor, certain he would faint.

The man ran to his side and tried to help him up, thinking that something was physically wrong with Kai. "What?" He asked. "What's wrong?"

Kai scooted away in fright and backed against the wall furthest from the creature. He pointed with a finger. "You're glowing, Zane! Your face is _glowing!"_

Zane nodded, obviously perplexed by his companion's sudden outburst. "Yes, I am." He said, reaching down to pick up the bowl. "Please be more careful, Kai. The Dark Knight would not be pleased if you broke his dishes, I am sure."

Kai slowly calmed himself enough to speak without shouting. He took deep breaths, relaxing his rigid muscles enough to think straight. "Zane, what are you?" He slowly inched further away from the man.

Zane looked at him strangely, the now glowing yellow eyes drilling into Kai with bemusement. "A Nindroid, did you not know that already?" He sighed and ran his fingers through his blond hair. "I'm sorry." He strode over to Kai and offered him a hand. A normal, non-glowing hand. Kai noted that the yellow light seemed to only emanate from his head and part of his neck. The rest of him remained as it had been before the change.

Kai hesitantly took the hand and allowed Zane to pull him to his feet. "What's a Nindroid?" _A name reserved for only the juiciest fruitcakes, perhaps. _

Zane put his hands in the folds of his cloak and wrapped it around his body, looking now like a lighthouse, tall and narrow, with a glowing head that illuminated everything in the bare room. "I can turn it off if you would prefer, Kai." He said politely. "I can see just fine in the darkness."

Kai shook his head, captivated by the oddity before him. "No, you're fine. Thank you."

Zane nodded and slowly sat down, patting the floorboards next to him. "To answer your question, Kai," he said as the young man sat down next to him. "A Nindroid is an advanced android. I am one of only two ever built by my father, Lord Julien. The other Nindroid would be my sister, Pixal. She is a beautiful girl. I am proud to have her as a part of my family." A short grin spread across his face. "I helped program her AI system."

Kai raised his notched left eyebrow and hugged his knees to his chest, as if it would help him keep calm. "Go on." He sensed that the topic of conversation was getting derailed quickly, and tried to get is straight again.

Zane twiddled with the hem of his cloak and continued with a shrug. "There's not much to tell. I am the older one, created about thirty years ago. Pixal is younger, being about ten years old. Lord Julien treats us like his children, and gives us the luxuries of being the son and daughter of a Lord."

Kai was perplexed. "A robot as heir to the Northern realm's lordship?" He had known that Zane and Pixal were the heirs, but had never heard that they were not of organic origins. _Is it prejudiced to think differently now? _He wondered vaguely. _  
_

Zane dropped the hem and looked at him with a mutual feeling of perplexity on his face. "And why not?"

Kai cleared his throat, his face flushing with embarrassment. "Forgive me, Zane." He said quickly. "It just caught me off guard, is all." Everything had caught him off guard. His own capture, this man's strange demeanor, his glowing head, and now this. "What does Sir Cole want with an android?" He asked, trying to change the subject and ease his mortification.

Zane rubbed the back of his neck. "He believes that I am one of the prophesied knights who will destroy his master. What about you?"

Kai shrugged, his mind growing more befuddled by the minute. "Same here, I guess. First time I've ever heard of this prophesy, though. I don't trust it."

"The prophecy is real, Kai." Zane said insistently. "You should not doubt it. The Overlord would not be after us if it was not a legitimate thing. Besides," he cleared his throat loudly, "I have seen the scroll."

Kai's eyebrow raised again. "You've seen it." He was incredulous, still inclined to believe that he was in the presence of a madman. "Where?"

Zane gave him an exasperated look, wondering why this man refused to believe it. "Queen Misako showed it to us when we visited about four months ago."

Though Kai didn't want to, he saw a seed of truth in Zane's words. Misako was definitely one for old scrolls and prophesies. She was wise, as was her husband. Lloyd, their son, had the makings of becoming a good ruler when his time came. He was about nineteen years old, stronger than most men twice his size, and was a great man to be around because of his pleasant demeanor.

Kai had visited Ninjago's Middle Province many times with his family, on visits to the Garmadon castle for parties and meetings, and both Nya and himself had hit it off well with the young man.

"Okay, I believe you." Kai said through clenched teeth. "But how would the Overlord know if we were the chosen ones?"

"I am at a loss," Zane said. "Perhaps-" He stopped mid-sentence and stared at the door. A faint clicking sound emanated from Zane's body, and the room was once again clothed in black. "He can't know, Kai." He whispered quickly. "When in his presence, I am human, understood?"

Kai blinked in the darkness and nodded, assuming that Zane could see the gesture with his night vision.

"Good," Zane continued in a whisper. "Now, we are sleeping." A quiet rustling sound, and the faint movement of the air told Kai that Zane had rolled across the floor to feign sleeping from a distance. Kai leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes, nerves too on edge to actually think about sleeping. Judging by Zane's behavior, he could assume that Sir Cole was coming, which meant that there would be no sleep. Not until the next round of beatings was over, at least.

A thudding sound came from the hallway, and a loud click a moment later. A bright light filled the room, and Kai opened his eyes to see Cole shuffling into the room with a large lantern in his hand, which he held away from his body as if it were possessed. He held a set of keys in his other hand, and was twiddling with them in his fingers.

He looked behind him nervously, glancing up and down the hallway before setting the lantern on the floor a distance from his feet. He pressed his hand against the door to help muffle the sound of it closing. He locked the door and let out a sigh of relief as he turned his back to the door and slid to the floor. He hugged his knees to his chest and let his shoulders slump as he buried his head in his arms.

Kai looked at him strangely, wondering why the great Sir Cole was behaving in such a way. Then he glanced at Zane, who was lying with his back to the door and Cole, with his eyes closed as if asleep. Kai had to give credit when due, and say that the Nindroid was a great actor.

"I just wanted to say," Cole's voice was muffled by his arms, "I'm sorry about your sister, Kai."

Kai simply glared at the man, silently observing. Cole's head was now lacking the hat, and his hair was no longer held back by a string. It now hung in a tangled mess around his back and shoulders. He looked so much smaller, and so much weaker, without his normal garb. _A slug who has tried to live a life in a snail's shell, only to find that it didn't fit. _Kai thought with growing hate.

He glanced at Zane again, wishing that the man would get up and help him out. He looked back up at Cole and scowled. "Why did you come?" He asked sharply.

Cole lifted his head and looked at him, desperation glinting in his eyes. "I have a few reasons," his voice had lost the harsh, commanding tone of several hours ago, and was now soft and slightly hoarse. "One reason being that I wanted to see if I could at least put my apology in the open air." He glanced at the lantern nervously, inching away from the tiny, flickering light a few inches before relaxing a bit.

Kai's eyebrows came dangerously close to his hazel eyes. "But this air isn't open," he growled. "In case you've forgotten, O Dark Knight, we are in _prison_." He put emphasis on the last few words.

Cole got to his feet, staying a good distance from the lantern, and stepped around Zane's supposedly sleeping form, his long cloak dragging on the floorboards and creating a small rustling sound as he strode to his prisoner's side.

Kai stared into Cole's piercing green eyes challengingly, unwavering in his resolve to bring this short man to his knees. He now noticed that Cole was not wearing the same clothing he had been wearing the night before. Instead, he wore a loose outfit, entirely black, that Kai assumed was his nightly wear. His supple leather boots were still on his feet, but were sagging and lopsided, as if he had just pulled them on after climbing out of bed, and had done it in the dark carelessly. _Had a bad dream, and is running to his captives for comfort? _Kai wouldn't put it past the man.

"It was merely a play on words, Kai." Cole said patiently, stuffing the keys into his pocket and sitting on the wall next to his captive. He looked over at the figure wrapped in the white cloak. "I know you're awake, Zane," he said in a quiet tone, "please get up so we can talk."

Zane almost immediately opened his eyes and sat upright. "Yes sir," he said obediently before crawling the couple of paces over to Kai's other side and sitting down.

Cole frowned at him. "Just call me Cole, please." He held Zane's gaze evenly. "Only around the stone warriors must you call me 'sir,' understood?"

"Why?" Kai asked tersely. Not because he wanted to know, but because he felt like being especially difficult tonight.

Cole looked at him with benign eyes. "Because they cannot think I have gone soft," he said grimly. "Contrary to popular belief, Kai, I am not the one in charge of this blasted ship. I am a puppet of the Overlord. If I screw up, Kozu will give my head to our master on a dark, cold stone platter when I get back. Wouldn't be the first time it's happened to someone, let me tell you."

"Why don't you run away?" Zane asked. "Surely there is someplace where the Overlord would not be able to reach you."

"It's not that easy, Zane." Cole's voice was suddenly fast, hushed and fringed with panic. "There is _nowhere_ to hide, if the Overlord wants you caught. I am his slave, and he is my master." His eyes darted between the two captives nervously. "So I ask again, can I receive forgiveness, Kai?"

"No," Kai said shortly, not even hesitating to answer. "Most certainly not. My sister may be _dead_ at this moment because of your little show of power to appease your _'master.'_" His fingers clenched as he spat out the last word. "And on behalf of most every person in the Southern realm, I say you deserve to have your head on that stone platter."

Cole looked at the ground. "I don't blame you. If it were my sister's life, I would not forgive whoever hurt her."

"You have a sister?" Zane asked politely.

"Had," Cole's voice became harsh and rueful. "I _had_ a sister, until I messed up and lost her, and my entire family to Kozu."

Dead silence for several seconds, ticking by like hours in Kai's head. He was growing impatient of this intolerable man.

"I'm sorry," Zane's voice was soft and sympathetic. "That must have been hard."

"Still is," Cole started tracing the wood with his finger. "They only died six months ago." His nose twitched, and he rubbed it with the back of his unoccupied hand. "I was kidnapped two years ago by Kozu and his men. They told me that if I didn't do what they said, they would kill my family." He paused for a long moment. "Kozu is the leader of Overlord's stone army, in case you didn't already know."

Kai scowled and hugged his knees to his chest. "What does this have to do with us, Cole?" He spoke the name with all the rage and aggravation he could muster, just to make sure all three of them knew beyond a doubt that he was by no means of friendly terms with the man who was, for no good reason, pouring his life story out on the table for guests who just wanted to go home.

Cole merely blinked, showing no outward concern for Kai's behavior. He ignored the question entirely as he continued the story, his emotions undeniably remorseful and vexed. "Kozu always has me do his dirty work. I'm the one who kills to get what his master wants and...I am the one who tortures those who resist." His voice was forced and hoarse as he stared blankly into the lantern_...Singing whips... A __terrible, perverse chant that cried for supposed vengeance... _It rang through Cole's mind senselessly.

Kai felt a chill run down his back as he thought about it. _Torture? _He wondered if Cole would be torturing him on the Dark Island in just a few hours.

Cole's eyes shook tremendously as he averted his gaze from the fire as if it had slapped him across the cheek. "One week, about six months ago," his voice became even more hoarse and stressed, if such a thing were possible. "Kozu brought in a couple from a small village in the Northern realm. Normally, he'd have us kidnap for information. But this one..." His lips were sucked into his mouth as he fought back his emotions. "It was wholly for sport. For the Overlord's entertainment, I suppose. Kozu told me to hurt the girl...simply to break the man's heart as he listened from the other room." A lump formed in his throat.

"I refused," he said eventually. "The Overlord was furious...the amount of wrath that poured out of his purplish orb of floating light brought on a terror like I'd never felt before in my life...and I prayed that I would never go through it again." He grew silent, the flashbacks growing unbearably hard to bear. "Even the stone warriors were trembling, just from the sound of his voice."

Zane put a hand on the trembling man's shoulder, to give him comfort. "What happened next, my friend?"

Kai was repulsed. Zane should not be touching that man, let alone be calling him his _friend. A fruitcake indeed. The whole bloody lot of them. _

Cole's pulse spiked as he lashed out at Zane's hand, his green irises nearly swallowing his pupils in his sudden fear_-A hard, cold hand, pushing, regulating, micromanaging, __controlling...dominating. He would _always_ come up on top.-_

Cole blinked his gaze into normalcy and cleared his throat loudly, expelling the lump. He continued in a somewhat stronger voice as Zane scooted away a few inches. "Kozu killed them, and made me watch. Then..." He trembled harder, the next words no more than a whisper as the lump returned. "I became a part of their games." His voice was so tense, Kai though it might snap. Not that he cared, of course. Cole wouldn't be able to give the stone warriors orders if his voice were to snap.

The Dark Knight's hand, which had been clenched tightly at his side, suddenly went limp. "They killed my family and hurt me..." He swallowed hard. "In more than one way, they hurt me." He looked at Kai and flinched at the man's hard stare, then averted his gaze to Zane's compassionate eyes. "I have a reason for telling you all of this," he said, drawing his strength solely from the Nindroid's stare. "I was thinking I might..." He hesitated. "We are almost to the ocean, and escape will be impossible after that. But if we go within the next hour or so, we could, through some wild chance, go unnoticed."

"Escape?" Zane stared at his captor, blinking once in the silence.

"Whoa, wait a minute." Kai said, holding up a hand. "If we are caught, wouldn't that mean that we'd get the same treatment as you?"

"Worse," Cole replied shortly. "All I did was refuse to hurt a girl for sport. If we were caught, there would be nothing too violent in Kozu's eyes for our punishment."

Kai sighed, wondering why on earth he felt so much like a cornered mouse, with the hungry cat staring down at him tauntingly with an open spot between its legs to escape through. But anyone could tell you that the cat knew about the chink, and would pounce on you as soon as you dared try to escape through it.

Cole controlled his trembling a bit. "If we were to escape, we would need to do it soon."

Zane held up his hand in a casual sign that he was about to speak. "And on a side note, we need to find the blue knight."

"Blue?" Kai asked. "Why would we need to do that?"

Cole pointed at himself, then at the two captives. "I am the Black Knight, you are the Red Knight, and Zane is the White Knight."

Kai looked at Cole and raised his notched eyebrow. "Why on earth would you assume that you're the Black Knight?"

"Because I met a man who told me so." Cole said in a harsh, impatient tone. "I don't know who he was, or where he came from, but he told me about a week after my..." His face went into a tight, controlled mask. "After my torture...that I was the Black Knight."

He ran his fingers through his hair and tried to comb it out. "I was in my tent resting, because I was still weak from my injuries. He came in the middle of the night and told me who I was destined to be, then he just...left. Silent as a shadow, sneaky as a fox. In and out, under a minute." He grabbed a lock of hair and started twirling it in his fingers in front of his face. "He told me to be strong, and train hard for the day I would meet my other three teammates, and fight for the King, Prince, and all of Ninjago. I never told anyone, for fear of what the Overlord might do to me. And don't ask me why I believed the old man," he said quickly. "People with no hope will hold onto the tiniest shreds of promise they can find in the darkness, I suppose."

Zane nodded. "So you see? We need to find the Blue Knight."

Kai rolled his eyes. "What's with the color scheme? Why can't we all be black? Or maybe red?"

"Perhaps to show that you don't need to be exactly the same to work on a team." Zane suggested. "We are all different, and should be proud to show it."

Cole leaned in and spoke in a low voice. "So, you two in?"

Zane nodded and spoke in an equally soft tone. "Yes, I'll help."

"What have we got to lose?" Kai said with a shrug. "Not much, at this point in your master's 'game.'"

Cole chuckled in a low tone, blinking away the vision. "That's where you're wrong. We've got everything to lose." He got to his feet. "Stay here. I'll be back within the hour to get you. Be ready for my return, I will be back."

Cole reached for the door handle, then retracted his hand in surprise and stomped on the floor, mumbling something under his breath before walking back to the others and sighing. He flashed them an apologetic look before pulling Kai to his feet and punching him in the jaw. Not very hard, just enough to make a surprised and pained sound come out of his captive's mouth.

"Don't do that again, prisoner." Cole shouted angrily. "You just wait. Overlord will fix that snarky wit of yours. Don't insult my cooking." He leaned in and whispered in Kai's ear. "Play along, you fool. They're listening."

Kai fell to the floor as Cole let go of his shirt. "Who taught you how to cook, anyway?" He flashed a rebellious smile and rubbed his jaw, which now had another bruise to show for a day of fun and daisy picking. "Don't tell me," he held up a hand. "It was one of those hunky stone dudes, wasn't it? Go figure. They don't need to eat anyway, how would they know how to cook?"

Cole gave him a look somewhere between a smile and exasperated frown and put his hands on his hips. He kicked Kai's leg playfully, making the man cry out again. "Maybe." His reply was short and curt, but a humored smile tugged at a corner of his mouth. "Stay put, or else you'll never see my food again.

"What a relief." Zane said, earning him a loud slap. But Cole made sure that he hit his prisoner's cheek in a way that made his calloused hand take the brunt of the pain instead of Zane's face.

Cole flashed a snarky smile and turned on his heel, unlocking the door and leaving in a huff, staying clear of the lantern.

"I am sensing the beginning of a wonderful friendship between the three of us," Zane said as he fell to the floor and wrapped himself in his cloak.

Kai rolled his eyes and let out a low growl, nursing his new wounds in the ever-growing list without bothering to answer.

* * *

Nya lifted her head and shoulders off of the furs, trying to calm her pounding heart as she attempted to stand up for the umpteenth time since her captor had first fallen asleep over an hour ago. She slumped back into the furs with a final grunt of defeat.

_I'm not going anywhere..._ Her head pulsed, and stars danced in her vision as she tried to focus on the cave walls, which were turning a shade orange from the rays of morning sun. A chorus of birds chirped pleasantly outside in the trees, as if trying to lift her out of her dread and absolute terror. _A load too large for those small songbirds, _she thought to herself.

A single chirp rang out in the entrance to the cave, making Nya raise her head in surprise and alarm as the sound echoed down the long tunnel.

"Cheeky," she whispered with a relieved smile as a tiny black bird flitted around above her head. "Nice to see you again." She held out a hand and let the bird climb onto her finger. It made a happy dance and spread its wings as it chirped again.

Nya stroked it fondly. "You were trying to find me and Kai, weren't you?" She asked, her face darkening. "Well, Kai isn't here. And I wouldn't recommend trying to find him, either."

Cheeky trilled loudly, making Nya wince as the sound echoed loudly through the cave for several seconds before finally escaping through the mouth of the cave.

Nya's eyes widened. "Jay is sleeping, you've got to be quiet or you'll wake him." The bird let out another chirp and flew into her hair, unconcerned about Nya's warning.

She heard a soft moan, and her head shot in the direction as her pulse spiked again. "Now you've done it." She reprimanded the bird softly, unable to speak above a whisper.

Jay rolled to his knees and yawned quietly, then got to his feet and looked at Nya strangely. "Are you talking to yourself, Natalie?" He raised his eyebrow questioningly.

Nya shook her head quickly, forcing herself to keep his gaze.

Jay looked frightened. "Ahh...a voice in your head, perhaps?" _Cole has driven the poor girl__ over the deep end..._

Nya gave him a strange look, pondering what he had just said. Her eyes widened in understanding, and her lips curled into a nervous smile. "No," she laughed once, trying to ease her own discomfort.

Jay opened his mouth, then shut it again. He scratched the back of his head nervously. _Why does that smile have to belong to a lunatic? _He looked at her face and was somewhat disappointed to find that the smile was gone. A single breath of wind in the desert, a shadow in the trees. The smile was gone as fast as it had come.

Cheeks jumped out of Nya's hair and landed on her arm, chirping reproachfully at the young man. Nya was grateful for the interruption, because it gave her a chance to come up with something to say to her captor. "There's no voice, its just my bird."

Jay relaxed a bit, but still was not entirely convinced that she was not a screwball. "Okay." He walked over to Nya and got on his knees to examine the bird. "He's pretty. Is it domesticated?"

Nya's mouth opened in a gasp, her hand reaching up to hit his extended arm out of reflex.

Jay jumped backwards, his eyebrows rising almost into his hair as he dodged her flying hand. "Sorry," he said slowly. "I'll be more careful in the future." He stared into her eyes with shock.

_Oh, Natalie..._ His heart ached with compassion for the broken girl.

Nya started breathing heavily as her eyes traveled to his belt, where he held a weapon... A sword, its blade concealed in a leather sheath. _Pain and death, capture and defeat._ That was all she could see in the sword for herself. For Jay, on the other hand, the blade meant exactly the opposite. _Comfort, life, freedom and victory, quite possibly secured by...my death? _The notion was completely absurd, and she wondered if her imagination was possibly getting the better of her.

"Hello?" A feminine voice carried through the tunnel, knocking both captive and captor out of their eye lock. "Are you in there, Nya?"

"Who's there?" Jay shouted, his face becoming sharp and alert as he drew his sword soundlessly from its stiff leather sheath.

"I am Pixal." The voice shouted back. "May I inquire as to what your name is?"

Jay's knees started to shake. _How on earth did I get into this mess?_ Caught between a cave wall and a powerful noblewoman who, with one wave of her hand, could have him hanging from a tree. He was only hiding out in the Southern realm because of all the charges against him in the Northerns. Everyone knew his name up there, and most would recognize his face from wanted posters. The South was supposed to be safe!

"That's not important," Jay snapped eventually. "Who is this Nya, and why would you think she was here?"

A shadow came into the mouth of the cave, elongated and dark from the light of the early morning sun. "Nya is of the Kaytake family, you complete imbecile," she snapped. "Stop testing my patience."

Jay looked over his shoulder at Nya, who still laid in the bed of furs, holding the bird with a look of panic on her face that made him feel an insurmountable desire to protect her. She had made it sound like she was running from the law the day before, so he would help her to the best of his abilities until she was able to support herself again.

Jay poised himself to strike, his sword held between white knuckles. The noblewoman was walking forward with slow, purposeful strides, as if inviting an attack.

He held up his sword up and jumped out in front of her, bringing his weapon in a wide arch toward her head, intending to kill.

_Murder? _The thought went through his head like a bolt of both thunder lightning at once, fast and resonating. _You're no murderer, Jay. _

Pixal reached into her pocket and drew out a small, flat disc. She tossed it straight at her assailant's blade. The weapon flew with such speed and precision that Jay's weapon was knocked out of his hand, and fell to the ground near Nya's feet with a clatter.

Jay let out a gasp of surprise. _Run, you fool!_ He told himself. _Let Pixal take Natalie away._ His feet shuffled hesitantly for a moment as he realized that he didn't want to leave the girl. He wanted to keep her safe, not run like a coward from this spoiled noblewoman.

The hesitation was just enough for Pixal to take out another small disk and toss it at Jay's head, making him duck in surprise. The move left an opening for the lady to grab a weighted rope from the folds of her cloak and swing it around Jay's neck. She pulled it tight and held a knife to his neck with a laugh.

"It seems I have finally found him." She said, releasing the knife and loosening the rope. She let the bewildered thief fall to the floor. "Jay Walker, this is a new low. Kidnapping Kai and Nya?" She crossed her arms over her loose white tunic, which had a decorative leather belt wrapped around her midsection to keep it in place. She planted a brown leather boot on Jay's chest and leaned in, clearly pleased with her work.

_Kai and Nya? _Jay's eyes widened in understanding. _What in the name of all that is good have I gotten myself into? That woman is Nya! _

Pixal stared at him harshly, her green eyes boring into his. "Where is Kai?"

* * *

**Fun stuff, right? I like Pixal about as much as I liked Cole in the first chapter. **

**Just in case you were confused, 'Fruitcake' refers to a mentally unstable ****person. As does 'Screwball.' **

**Neither Zane nor Nya have mental difficulties, I am merely voicing the opinions of my characters. (Specifically, Kai and Jay.)**

**I couldn't help but notice that everyone has been saying things like 'poor Cole' and 'poor Zane.' ****Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've heard a single 'poor Nya.' That's slightly messed up. She's the only one with an actual injury here, you heartless people. (Don't take it personally, please. I'm talking about myself as well, when I say heartless.) **

**Thanks to all of you who gave me reading suggestions! Three different people suggested Chosen By Destiny, by ToonFriend. I checked it out, and was mildly surprised. CBD is the first OC story that I've read through the first chapter. (I'm sorry, but OC isn't my thing.) There was a bit too much crude humor in the story for my taste, though. **

**I also checked out several other stories, and even favorited a select couple. Does anyone else have suggestions for other books I should read? Don't be shy, no such thing as a bad idea! (Garmadon, gotta love him.)**

**Please leave a comment! I love to read in-depth constructive criticism on what you think went smoothly, and PLEASE point out rough patches, if you do find any.**

**Almost forgot to mention! If you check my profile, right under 'Fanfiction Story Status' you should find a new bit about...squee, I'm excited...**

**Okay. Here goes. If you leave a request in a PM, I might make you a story! It will be short, between 3,000 and 10,000 words in most cases, but give me ****something you want me to write, and if I like it, I will use it and credit you! Please be specific, tell me what kind of things you would like to see and such. **

**Important:****I cannot reply to messages. So if you PM, don't be offended if I don't reply. I will communicate with you at the end of each chapter with things like: "I liked your idea, ***Enter username here***, and I am going to write your story. Expect it soon!" **

**Got it? Good. I'm expecting some good ideas from you people. (And aliens. There might be a few aliens reading this, right?)**


	4. Flight

**I am sorry if things are getting a bit confusing here. Every 'break' in the story has a different time of day in it. An example would be: **

**Break 1, Before dawn. Kai/Zane scene**

**Break 2, Late morning. Jay/Nya scene**

**Make sense? I hope so, and please tell me if you think it is confusing, and I will try not to let it happen again. **

**No slash, I do not own Ninjago, bla bla bla.****  
**

* * *

Kai and Zane sat side by side on the wall, staring into the darkness as they waited. The minutes ticked by like hours in Kai's skull.

He finally decided to start a conversation, just to make time pass in a more productive fashion.

"So," he cleared his throat and spoke in a softer voice. "How did you get captured, Zane? By what means did they get you on this flying ship?"

A long pause. Zane eventually shifted his weight and began. "I allowed myself to be captured." He said in an equally low tone. "I find it ironic that Cole captured me when I was already trying to find a way to sneak onto his ship."

Kai's eyes squinted in the darkness as he tried to find Zane's face, to see if the man was serious or not. "Why would a man like you be trying to get trapped purposely on this evil piece of junk?" He asked.

"This ship is a remarkable feat of ingenuity and craftsmanship, Kai," Zane reasoned. "Evil, yes. But not junk."

Kai rolled his eyes. "Continue the story."

"Do you roll your eyes at everyone, or is it just me?" Zane asked with good humor.

Kai gave him a brazen smile.

Zane chuckled and shook his head in amusement. "To elaborate on my previous words," he said after the chuckle had run its course. "I was trying to get onto the Black Bounty to rescue you."

He held a finger to Kai's lips, stopping the hotheaded man before he could ask the anticipated question. "I knew that you were captured because of your guardian bird." He set his hand back on his lap again. "There is too much to tell at this moment in time, Kai. I will explain in better detail later. But just in case you didn't realize before now, you have a mechanical bird that never lets you leave its sight. It contacts me and my sister, Pixal, at the first sign of danger. We got a signal from your bird at dusk, with a live feed of Cole and your plight."

Kai interjected before Zane could continue. "And Nya?" He asked. "Does she have a bird?" The thought surprised him, thinking that this man before him had the power to spy on everything he did. He clenched his fist. _Everything his sister did._ The thought made him sick.

Zane nodded, though Kai was unable to see the movement in the darkness. "Yes. I believe you call it Cheeks, or something along those lines. It sent a message to Pixal, and she is locating your sister as we speak." He examined Kai's face and let out a short laugh. "The bird only produces video if it senses danger, or if Nya requests to specifically contact me or my sister, Kai." He rubbed the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Do not think I would misuse my power, my friend."

Kai was amazed by Zane's acute ability to guess what he was thinking. He couldn't resist the question that had been eating away at him for a while now. "Is she safe?" He had an ache inside of him that said that he didn't care what happened to himself, just as long as his sister was out of harm's way.

Zane paused. "I could check for you, if you'd like. I haven't made contact with her bird since before I got onto the ship."

Kai nodded fervently. "If you could, that would be great."

Zane didn't reply. There was silence for a few seconds, then a quiet beep and a series of clicks before his eyes began to glow. What had been brilliant icy blue irises before now became a fluorescent pair of blue lights that were hard to look at without burning stars into your vision.

Kai stared at him in wonder. Was there anything this android couldn't do? Zane's head was erect, straight forward and expressionless as he peered ahead into the blackness. His mouth began to move. "She is in a cave," he said. "With that wound in her body bleeding profusely."

Kai's stomach lurched. "What else can you see?"

Zane pursed his lips. "I see a man on his knees next to her, trying very hard not to throw up as he washes it out."

"Well, who is it?" Kai was hoping that it was his father.

Zane shrugged. "The bird cannot get a good view of his face without being seen."

"But Cheeks is black," Kai said. "Can't the bird move around in a cave inconspicuously?"

Zane blinked, dousing the light for half a second before his eyes reopened, restoring the luminescence. "His eyes are glowing like mine. The man would likely have a heart attack if he saw that. The bird is being...cautious..." He paused and went silent.

"Jay Walker," Zane whispered after a long moment. He slammed his fist onto his thigh and let out a low growl.

"What?" Kai raised an eyebrow.

Zane sighed and blinked again, extinguishing the light with another series of beeps and clicks. He lit up his head dimly, so Kai could see his face while he spoke. "Your sister seems to have the worst luck ever." He chuckled.

"I ask again, Zane." Kai said tersely. "What?"

Zane looked at him grimly. "The man turned his face for just a moment, and I got a good look. He is Jay Walker, a notorious criminal in the Northern realm."

Kai felt his stomach lurch. "A criminal?" He didn't even want to know what this 'Jay' would do to his sister.

Zane nodded. "A thief, with a bounty over his head large enough for a young man to retire and never have to earn another penny in his lifetime. Quick as lightning, he would rob you from right under your nose, and you wouldn't even realize until he was out of sight. Cunning, brilliant and full of ingenuity. It's a pity, he could have done well in life with a real job."

Kai felt mildly relieved that the man with his sister was nothing more than a thief. There were much worse criminals for a girl to run into. "So she'll be fine?"

Zane nodded. "Indeed. My sister has her coordinates, and most likely already knows about Jay. She can contact Cheeks too, you know. I estimate she will have your sister safe by daybreak."

Kai almost let a smile onto his face. But only almost. "So what was your plan for once you got on the boat?" He asked, trying to get back on their original track. "How were we going to escape, according to your original plans?"

Zane shook his head. "I wasn't planning on escape, my friend." He said quietly. "I didn't even tell my family this, but my plan was companionship, not escape. My goal was to protect you, and see if I could eventually find a route of escape after we were already on the island."

Kai's jaw dropped. How could a man so willingly embrace the thought of death? _When you are a soulless robot, perhaps you think differently_, he reasoned.

"Thank you," he said quietly, clearing his throat. He reached down and grabbed a garment hem to fiddle with in the awkward silence, then realized it was Zane's cloak. He drew his hand back quickly and grabbed his own sleeve, mimicking Zane's fidgety behavior.

"You are most welcome," Zane said pleasantly, not noticing Kai's nervous actions. "But I would thank Cole, if I were you. He's the one planning the escape."

"How much time is left until he comes back, by the way?" Kai asked, suddenly reminded of the man he had sworn to always hate. "Any guesses?"

Zane paused. "He'll be here any moment now. It's been sixty three minutes since he said it would be an hour."

As if on queue, there was a jangle of keys and a soft click. Cole tiptoed through the door, leaving it open this time. There was no lantern in his hands. He looked at Zane's glowing face and would have screamed in terror if Zane had not flown across the room and put a finger to the Dark Knight's mouth.

Cole leaped back, gripping his chest in a panic, but he managed to keep quiet. He stared at Zane for several seconds before he finally spoke. "What in the name of Overlord is going on with your face?" He hissed.

Zane took a step back. "A Nindroid," his voice was barely above a whisper. The light went out with a faint click, leaving the room in total darkness. "We would not want the stone warriors to see us leave," he explained.

Cole shoved the keys into his pocket. "Let's go, then."

Kai stood up and followed the others out the door, his blood pounding in his ears as he entered the torchlit hallway. He hugged himself, wishing that he had a cloak like the other two. The night air was a little crisp, even indoors.

Zane suddenly stopped and grabbed Cole's shoulder. "Cole," he whispered. "You left our door open."

Cole jumped in surprise and very nearly lashed out at Zane's hand. "It doesn't matter," he whispered hoarsely, forcing his heart out of his throat. "Come on." He turned away from the android and continued walking.

They went up a flight of steps, then they were out on the deck, with a chilly breeze blowing through their clothing and chilling Kai's bones.

"Down the anchor chain," Cole whispered. "Come on, hurry."

They ran across the deck. "Zane first," Cole said. "Then Kai, and I'll go last."

Kai waited for Zane to disappear over the edge of the ship before he shimmied down after him. The chain rattled and swayed gently in the breeze.

He looked down at the ground and immediately felt that something was wrong. _Where are the stone warriors?_ When he had first entered the ship, the invincible army had been everywhere. He guessed that there were at least forty of them on board.

But now, they were nowhere to be seen on the ground. The ship had looked deserted as well.

Cole had given them the impression that the ship was not going to stop until they had arrived at the Dark Island, and yet here it was, anchored about thirty feet above the ground, in a patch of trees instead of flying.

Kai's feet hit the soft, earthy ground, and he looked over at Zane, who was adjusting the shoulders of his cloak, and pulling the hood up over his head. Kai heard a soft thump and whirled around sharply in his edgy state, half expecting an army of stone samurais to pop out of the trees.

"Kai, it's just me." Cole's voice reached his ears.

Kai crossed his arms over his chest. "That makes me feel loads better," he said sarcastically.

Cole glared at him. "You've trusted me this far, why second guess me now?"

"Gentleman, please." Zane whispered. "Let's argue when we've gotten somewhere safe."

Cole let out a short laugh. "The only way to be safe in this kingdom would be to embrace death."

Kai growled under his breath. Did the Dark Knight ever have a happy thought in his life? He uncrossed his arms and pointed accusingly at Cole's face. "I don't trust you, Sir Cole." He hissed. "I am sensing a trap."

Cole looked mildly amused by Kai's fit of temper. "Why set a trap for tamed birds?" He responded cooly. "I've already caught you."

Kai's hand slowly dropped, but he kept the man's even gaze. "You could be trying to get us in bigger trouble, so you can have a good reason to hurt us." He felt something graze his shoulder and lashed out at the figure behind him, throwing his fist with enough power to break bones as he pushed his body into the blow.

Zane cooly caught Kai's fist, taking a step back to keep from falling over. He stared into Kai's eyes for several moments before speaking. "Fighting will not help you, Kai." He whispered, letting go of the man's clenched fist.

Kai held his hand in the air, completely tense, for several seconds before letting it drop. "Fine," he spat as he looked at Cole. "Which way, O bird tamer?"

This time, Cole was the one fighting to stay his hand. He clenched his fist and felt a strong urge to rip this man's limbs from his torso. "Discord is our worst enemy, Red Knight." He said with an even, almost monotonous tone. "Let us not invite him in with open arms." He turned on his heel and beckoned them forward with a hand, not looking to see if they caught the gesture. "Let's get going. The stone warriors will be back any minute now, and we need to put a safe distance between us and them."

Zane followed after Cole, a long shadow trailing behind him in the light of the few stars that were left glittering in the deep bluish-purple sky. Kai stamped his foot angrily and followed.

* * *

Pixal let a grin tug at one cheek. Not a warm, friendly grin. It was more of a smirk, smug and full of contempt, and most certainly laced with cruel humor. Her lips moved slowly. "I ask again, Walker," her voice had a quality that said it was best to obey, because the other option would not be as pretty as her fair face. "Where is Kai?" Each word flew from her mouth with strong emphasis.

Jay's heart pounded in his chest as his body was pressed between Pixal's boot and the hard stone floor. "I...I..." He stuttered, unable to form a complete sentence. His breaths were fast and short, due to the woman's pressure on his ribcage.

She leaned in a little more and reached into her cloak. She pulled out a long knife about as wide as her middle finger, and just a little longer than her hand, and twirled it slowly between her fingers for a moment before placing it under his jawbone. "Do you need encouragement?" Her voice sounded almost like a child's, but more sadistic, and underscored with cruel humor.

Jay shook his head slowly, holding back a shudder as the tip of the blade tickled his skin. "Let me up and I'll talk," he squeaked.

Pixal's smile only broadened. "You seem to be doing just fine at the moment," she nearly purred. "I think I'll let you talk from down there."

The thief swallowed back the urge to cough, knowing that doing so would only push the blade into the tender flesh under his jaw. "I have no idea where Kai is," his voice was strained, and his face was flushing with lack of oxygen and embarrassment. Surely there was nothing more mortifying than being a man trapped in a woman's clutches, nearly at the point of begging for mercy.

Pixal leaned in a little more. Their faces were only about twelve inches apart now, and Jay could smell the scent of her strong perfume as it wafted down from her long, blond hair. Her green eyes seemed to glow as she glared at her captive. "Liar," she hissed in a low voice. "You're one wrong move from death, Walker."

Jay rolled his head back as far as he could and looked at the ceiling, trying to get away from the blade. He regretted the move instantly, because the woman's hand simply returned the knife to back under his chin, forcing Jay to keep his head up. Moving his chin down closer to his chest would literally be suicide.

"Wrong move," Pixal grinned as the blade drew a prick of blood, then a trickle.

"Stop." A voice rang through the cavern, sharp and commanding.

Pixal turned her head to look at Nya, somewhat annoyed that her game had been interrupted. "What do you want, Nya?" She asked sharply.

Nya was sitting upright in her bed of furs, glaring at her rescuer as if she were the enemy. "Do not speak to me that way, Pixal." Her tone held all of the authority that Pixal had commanded. "We are equals here, don't treat me like a commoner."

Pixal let out a harsh, guttural sound that echoed through the cave. "Yes, my lady?" She said slowly, hating herself for actually listening to this injured woman.

Nya nodded. "That is more appropriate, Pixal," she said shortly. "First off," She held up a finger, her eyes burning through Pixal's with a vengeance. "I do not approve of this. He was merely-"

Pixal suddenly stood up straight and put both feet on the floor, holding the knife at her side in a clenched fist. "I was not aware that I needed your approval, Nya," she shot back. "He belongs to me."

Nya glanced at Jay, who was laying limply on the floor, gasping for breath and oblivious to the dispute, as far as she could tell. For the first time since she met him, she felt something besides fear when she looked at him. She felt _pity._ Her eyes shot back up to Pixal and halted there. "He belongs to nobody, Pixal. Last I checked, it was in the jurisdiction of your father to decide who lived and died in the Northern realm."

Pixal's free hand went tense at her side. "Fine." Spittle flew from her mouth as she sheathed the knife and pulled out a rope. "Fine, whatever, okay, fair enough." Each word flew with emphasis that made Nya flinch. _  
_

_And that is why we don't know each other very well, _Nya thought to herself. _She is just about the opposite of her brother, and no one but her family can bear it. _

"Thank you," was the short reply that actually reached her lips. "And by the way, Jay is telling the truth. Sir Cole has my brother." It felt good, being able to prove this woman wrong for once.

Pixal didn't even grace her with a reply. She roughly turned Jay onto his face and tied his hands behind his back. She wouldn't kill him, but she honestly didn't think her father would mind if the great thief Jay Walker arrived at the mansion with a couple ugly bruises.

Jay let out an involuntary moan as he was dragged to his feet harshly. His feet slipped and grappled for purchase on the stony surface, which suddenly felt very slippery. Blood trickled from the knife wound under his jaw and stained the front of his blue shirt, making it a perturbing purple color.

"Are you even listening?" Nya cried out, wishing she could stand up and slap the wench across her pretty little face. "I am giving you the answer you were willing to _kill _for, and you won't even treat me like a human being?" She forced back the squeak that had entered her voice.

Pixal held the long rope tail firmly in one hand as she whirled to glare at Nya. "I was sent here to find you and bring you home," she snarled through bared teeth. "But I am beginning to change my mind." She held out her free hand, and a small black bird flitted over to her finger and landed lightly.

Nya's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that Cheeks?"

Pixal gave one short nod. "Yes, this is 'Cheeks.'" She spat out the name with contempt. "A lousy name, by the way. And he is actually mine. He has been your protector for years now, and has been my eyes and ears to all forms of danger you have encountered since he first started watching you."

Nya blinked a few times in the silence, thoroughly confused. "Protector?" She repeated, suddenly feeling foolish.

The lady of the Northern realm gave another curt nod. "A robot, just like me, Zane, my eagle and so many others throughout the island." She said with growing anger. "It was the sole reason I knew where to find you." She looked at the bird, and it immediately flitted into the air and landed on Nya's hand. "You're welcome, by the way." She turned on her heel and left the cavern.

Nya looked at the bird, now feeling more horror and surprise than anger. "You can't just leave me here!" She shouted frantically.

"I'm not leaving," Pixal's voice came through the tunnel like a thousand sharp daggers, digging into the ears of anyone unfortunate enough to hear it. "I simply have to tie Walker to the horse."

Silence swept through the cavern after that moment. Nya held out her hand to the bird, and it flew without hesitation to her finger. It all made sense now, the reason the bird had been so placid and tame from the moment Nya and Kai had first seen in the garden. It was _programmed _to watch her.

Nya was suddenly repulsed. The bird was _programmed_ to watch her?

Heavy footsteps signaled Pixal's return a few minutes later. She strode right up to Nya and held out a hand.

Nya looked at the hand, then at its owner's face. "You know I can hardly even sit upright by myself, right?" She asked incredulously. "Please, at least give me your arm so I can-"

Pixal bent over and scooped Nya unceremoniously into her arms, resulting in a sharp cry of pain as Nya's torso was twisted abruptly. "Please be careful, Pixal," she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the android's neck tightly as she jerked in pain.

The blond haired woman merely snorted contemptuously and walked out into the bright morning sun, making Nya's eyes water as she squinted.

Pixal walked up to a grey horse and lifted Nya into the saddle with a quick swing, although Nya could tell she was trying to be more gentle.

Nya bit back a cry of pain as she righted herself in the saddle, then nodded at Pixal. "Thank you."

Pixal nodded curtly in reply and turned to her own horse. She swung onto its back with the ease of a person who had spent her whole life in the saddle. "Let's get going," she said. "My eagle has just informed me that your father is already looking for you, and is currently near the beach." She spurred her horse forward, making Jay nearly fall over as his rope leash was abruptly jerked by its knot around her saddle horn.

Nya muttered a curse under her breath and kicked her horse forward roughly. _How could any sibling be so unlike the other? _She asked herself as the horse began to tail Pixal's with a snort of indignation. _A yin and yang, if ever there was one.__  
_

They rode in a tense silence for a several miles as they rode away from the cliff, making good time for the lord of the South's mansion.

Nya watched Pixal's horse in front of her as it plodded through the thick underbrush.

Jay seemed to have calmed his breathing after about ten minutes, and now looked straight at the ground in front of his feet, doing his best not to trip on the roots and brambles.

They eventually found the path that Kai and herself had raced down the night before, and Jay ventured to look around a bit, because walking took less concentration, with the smoother dirt path beneath his feet. Every now and then, he would find Nya's gaze, and she would look away quickly, as if afraid he would drill her with a cold stare.

While Nya was simple full of distrust for the man, Jay was full of sorrow. He was distraught by his capture, to say the least, but that wasn't his main concern. That surprised him, the more he though about it. He was off to the hanging tree, and all he could feel was a deep, unyielding sorrow for the girl he had rescued. She was not simply a common thief who had a frightful experience with the Overlord's most feared henchman. She was one of the most important people in the country, and she had watched her brother get carried away to only God knows where, to be tortured or killed.

And it made him more distressed than anything else at this moment, because he found that he had, in a really roundabout way, the same backstory.

"Will you be staying for a night or two at my father's mansion, Pixal?" Nya finally broke the silence, trying to show some kindness toward this ornery young android.

"I don't think so," Pixal replied in the same formal tone. "I do not want to wait too long in getting Walker to my father."

"Are you certain?" Nya was praying that Pixal would not change her mind, but she felt the need to be polite.

"Shh," the tall, elegant woman peered into the trees with narrowed green eyes, cutting their conversation short. She shifted her reins to one hand and reached into her cloak, her eyes never leaving the spot in the thick trees.

Nya tried to follow her gaze. "What is it, Pixal?"

The Northern noblewoman looked at Nya grimly. "I sense the presence of several people on horseback." She began walking forward. "Follow me closely. I don't know if they are friend or foe."

Nya kicked her horse, ignoring the twinge in her abdomen as she did so. The horse followed behind Pixal's beast obediently.

"Halt." A commanding voice said, breaking the thick silence. "State your name and business."

"That is no concern of yours, sir." Pixal said, hand concealed by her cloak. Nya suspected that the woman had her fingers around at least a dozen different weapons.

"It is if the Lord Kaytake says so," a deeper voice replied.

Nya barely suppressed a scream. "Father!" She cried out in joy. She looked at Pixal, who nodded her consent. Nya didn't even take the time to nod back. She spurred her horse forward, now oblivious to the pain as she pushed her mount.

"Nya!" A feminine voice called out. Their faces became visible moments later, and Nya was laughing for joy at the sight of the two faces that, twelve hours ago, she had been afraid she'd never see again.

Kaytake jumped off of his horse and rushed past his escort of six guards, straight to his daughter's horse.

Nya stopped her horse but did not dismount. Instead, she backed up when her father tried to come close. "Please, don't touch me," she said. "I am wounded."

Driniah came up beside her husband a moment later and took her daughter's hand, tears glittering in her blue eyes. "I was so worried, Nya." She said softly. "Where is Kai?"

Nya pulled her lips into a tight, controlled line and looked at Kaytake. "Kai has been taken by the Dark Knight." She hated having to speak so directly, but she felt that it was necessary.

"It's a long story, and one I don't completely understand myself." She continued, narrowly stopping the potential onslaught of questions. "Talk to Pixal if you want details, she seems to know what's going on better than me."

* * *

**I've made quite a few pig-faced characters, huh? Pixal is a little stinker. **

**This is by far the most frustrating chapter I've done so far. I completely rewrote the Pixal/Jay altercation this week, and only just got if finished tonight. I have literally been on the wire with this one, trying to keep it up to par. **

**Please tell me if you found the time changes in the story confusing! I did my best, but It may be a bit discombobulating to see Kai in the middle of the night, then Nya in the middle of the day. You get my meaning? **

**Constructive criticism appreciated, I love detailed reviews. **

**Guess what? It's my birthday! Woohoo! I would love it if you guys could give me the present of a detailed review, but just reading is fine too. Just keep reading. **

**See you next week, and keep an eye out for my new story, My Wounded Heart, sequel to Knife In The Heart! I will try to have it up by Wednesday. **


	5. Deadfall

**I'm giving you all your chapter ****about twelve hours early...I just couldn't keep you waiting another second. **

**So, a lot of people were wondering what the word 'zoetic' means in _'My Wounded Heart.'_ It is latin, I think. It means relating to life. (Living, vital.) It is probably related to the word for zoology. Give me a break, there's a lack of good Z words out there. **

**And I'm going to apologize ahead of time for this one. The fruitcake joke was such a big hit, I simply could not resist using it one last time. But I promise, it will be the last time, unless it is specifically requested again. Okay? All is forgiven? Great. Read on and groan comically when you find it.**

**Important!**

**I may be a day or two late with the next update. I have been really busy the past week, and haven't even begun to write it. Sorry! **

* * *

Cole glanced behind him momentarily to make sure the others were still following. Sweat beaded at his forehead, and he found that his fingers were trembling as they brushed against the hilt of his sword, more for comfort than anything else.

His boots crunched through the dead spruce needles, making him grimace every time he cracked a branch. He looked at the distant mountains, black against the pink backdrop of the sky, and tried to draw his mind away from the raging torrent of guilt that had been threatening to rip him to pieces for hours.

"Isn't is beautiful?" A voice asked next to him, cutting the relative silence.

Cole drew his sword in a heartbeat and pointed it at the man.

Zane took a step back, his hands in the air as he cooly regarded the blade before him. "Is something wrong, my friend?" He asked.

Cole held up the blade shakily for several seconds before slowly lowering it and sliding it into his scabbard with a low hiss. "Sorry," he was bewildered by Zane's ability to be so quiet, and even more by the fact that his captive looked so nonchalant about the whole ordeal. _Torture? _He mimicked Zane's tone in his mind. _Not a problem, my dear captor and best friend in the world. Fruitcake, anyone?_

"I'm a little on edge." Cole said out loud, trying for a cool apology.

Zane took a step forward, gesturing for his two companions to follow. "I can see that, my friend." He said gently.

_Friend?_ Cole hesitated. _How many times has he called you that now?_ He strode forward, unwilling to let either captive know of his weak underbelly, so he acted like the whole ordeal with the sword was a big joke, and pretended to forget that it had happened. _I am in control. I have no weakness._

Zane looked at him, a faint and reassuring smile lifting one side of his mouth. "I ask again, my friend. Isn't it beautiful?" He looked at the mountains ahead of them, and at the sky.

_Friendship leads to trust. Trust leads to betrayal._ Cole's heart raced, pounding him with guilt. _You can't make friends. __Friends are a weakness._

He looked at Zane and nodded. "It's a very nice color of black, isn't it?" _  
_

Zane nodded. "Nice is a good word for it, but it is beautiful when placed in contrast with the colorful sky, is it not?"

Cole looked at the mountains through narrowed eyes, a little incredulous of the thought that someone could find the sky beautiful. _It's just sky, for H__eaven's sake._

"Sure," he said eventually. "I guess so." He cleared his throat and spoke again. "We need to move faster, otherwise we'll be caught."

Kai came up on Cole's left side, the black look fixed on his face. "Caught by who, Cole?"

The Dark Knight cringed at the tone. _The way that Kai says my name,_ he thought to himself, _I will have no trouble not making friends with him. Zane, on the other hand..._ He realized, not allowing himself the benefit of the doubt, that he might have to kill Zane, if only to protect himself from the dangers friendship presented.

He glared at Kai and spoke in an equally harsh tone. "My men. They are currently raiding a little village nearby." He looked over at Zane, who was watching the ground before his booted feet intently.

Cole continued. "The stone warriors are suspicious of something, I am sure of it. I never send all my men on one raid together, especially to just one small town. Someone needs to guard the ship. And I always go with them on the raids, so making them go alone is another big indicator that something is up." His face grew pale, looking less tanned and more careworn. "They are not fools. We only have about a ten minute head start, and we still need to find a place to hide until they give up the chase and go home."

"And when would they give up?" Zane asked.

Cole shook his head and fingered the hilt of his sword. "I don't know," his voice was suddenly strained. "Days, if we're lucky enough. But they could go on for weeks before facing defeat. No one wants to go home and face the Overlord's whi-" He caught himself and whispered out, "his anger." A shudder followed his words, a movement almost lost in the rippling of his cloak.

"Whips?" Zane said softly, guessing what the broken word was supposed to be. "The Overlord uses whips?"

Cole blinked away a thousand horrid memories. A thousand memories from _both_ ends of the whip. "Zane, hold your tongue or I'll cut it out." He said, a little rougher than he had first intended. But he made no move to apologize.

Zane simply nodded in understanding. "Yes sir."

Cole's heart bled. Zane had called him 'sir' that time, not 'friend' or even simply 'Cole.' He was suddenly 'sir' to this man.

He pushed away the thought and pulled his lips into a tight line, setting his eyebrows close to his angry green eyes. He clenched his fists with enough force to crumble stone, telling himself that he did not care. He was above them both, and they were his captives, his slaves. No need to get all upset about _one_ of them showing due respect. His heart was _not_ bleeding.

_At least it wasn't 'friend' that time, Cole. His trust must be weakening. _He stopped the thought and hesitated. He needed trust for his plan to work. He needed to at least pretend to be their friend, until his plans were complete.

Silence reigned for several more minutes as all three men jogged at a fair pace, trying to put at least a few miles between the ship and themselves before they had to stop and hide from the pursuers.

Kai was breathless before they had even gone five miles, and Cole grudgingly obliged him a rest.

They were in the middle of a dense forest of spruce and pine, and the ground beneath their feet was compiled of mostly gravel and fallen needles, now browned and turning to a dusty substrate that suggested that not much rain fell in this area. A large river was raging loudly about a hundred yards off, concealed by the dense trees.

Cole heard the tremendous roaring noise off to their right, and sweat started to bead at his forehead. _The water is far away, _he told himself. _Don't get all worked up, or the others will find out. _But as hard as he tried to stop it, the color still drained from his face. His fingers trembled all the more, and his heart sounded like a drum as the blood ran through his ears and made them ring. _Don't be a coward, Cole. _He reproached himself, but to no end. _It's just water. _

Kai plopped down, red in the face and breathing hard, on the ground. He grimaced and shifted his position on the sharp rocks and spruce branches.

Zane sat down as well, though he was not tired. He took deep, slow breaths in his nose and let them out through his mouth in a controlled fashion as he looked up at Cole, who scowled at them with his arms crossed over his loose white tunic. His long black hair was once again, Zane noticed, tied in its usual fashion down to mid-back. An easy thing to miss, because of the black cloak and feathered hat. His face was pale and white, a stark contrast to the black. All the tan had left his skin as soon as they neared the water, he added to his list of observances. A sign of fear.

Cole shuffled his feet through the gravel impatiently. "Two minutes, you weaklings." He growled as he stepped back a ways and lightly reprimanded himself for his fears, and for letting it show in his tone. He was certain his face was almost translucent from the lack of blood.

_We have to get out of here,_ he told himself. _Not because of the water, but because we'll be caught._

_Is that right? _Cole was vaguely aware of the fact that he was arguing with himself, much like a lunatic.

_Yes! _The side of him that still wanted to be what the Overlord wanted spoke up.

_You're a weakling, Cole. Is there anything you're actually not afraid of? _He argued back.

_I'm not afraid of anything. Period._

_You go ahead and believe that, my friend._

"Cole?" Zane slowly got to his feet and took a tentative step toward his captor.

Cole started and glared at the blond haired man. "What?" He hissed.

Zane sighed sadly and locked his eyes on Cole's, taking another step. "We need to talk about this." He blinked. "You need someone to listen to your story. It will help."

Cole glared at him and took two steps back. "No, I don't think it will."

Zane took three steps forward, still not breaking the gaze. "We could argue all day, and let those stone samurai's capture us, or you could talk to me, and we could leave within two minutes."

Cole took two steps backwards, frustrated by the fact that he couldn't break away from the icy blue eyes. He swallowed hard, his hand automatically going to his hilt. _Stop __retreating, you weakling. _

Zane saw the movement in the edge of his vision, but did not flinch. He took another three steps and planted his feet a good distance apart, crossing his arms over his chest casually. "Why can't you trust me?" His face was gentle, and his movements calm and slow.

Cole blinked, his feet glued to the ground. His hand wrapped around the cold steel. _Cold like death, cold like those that I killed._ He snarled, wrinkling his nose. His knuckles grew white around the sword. "Trust kills people, prisoner." His voice was low and guttural. _And you wanted them to trust you...why?_

Zane's eyes filled with compassion, and a smile stretched his lips slightly in a warm, welcoming grin. "Everything kills people, in its own time."

Cole blinked again. "Some things faster than others," his voice was still low and wary, but was now mixed with mild interest. "In my experience, trust is a brittle, flaky thing, pretty to look at, but won't hold your weight." _Get a hold of yourself, _he shouted in his mind as a thousand alarms started to blare. _He's leading you into a trap. __  
_

Zane nodded. "Brittle things break easily, don't they?" He took a step forward and put a hand on Cole's left shoulder. "Friendship is a wonderful thing, Cole. It is the salve that eases the brittle texture."

Cole flinched, but did not try to break free. He stared at Zane, and watched his wall of defense start to crumble. He snarled, the sword hissing as it came an inch out of the sheath. "Get your hand off of me, boy."

Zane did not move. He stubbornly stared into the green eyes, as if trying to peer into his captor's soul. He shook his head slowly. "No, my friend." He said in a firm voice. "I'm not letting go."

Cole's eyes widened in alarm. _Kill him! _He told himself. _That's what you said you would do, right? Just kill it!_ He tried to growl, but found that it had turned into more of a whimper. He shook his head in terror, but was careful to not let it show in his eyes, which were narrowed to angry slits.

_You've done it already?_ His hand tightened even more around the sword hilt, then went limp. A short click told him that the blade's hilt had fallen into the scabbard again, and his hand fell to his side. _No..._

Zane put his other hand on Cole's right shoulder. "Just let us be there, Cole."

Cole started breathing fast. His eyes traveled to the woods over Zane's shoulder, then to the nobleman's face. _He's too close, _Cole told himself. _Curse this strange creature with the ability to make his head glow. What is wrong with hating your captor? It makes it so much easier to hurt the prisoner when he hates you._

He clenched his fist, hardening whatever resolve he had left, and pushed Zane's hands off of him roughly.

Zane seemed unconcerned about his rough treatment, and let the smile continue creeping over his cheeks. "_'A one man show needs no friends,'_ says the man who lives with an army of heartless stone warriors."

Cole wound up and punched Zane so hard that the nobleman flew into the dirt with a sickening crunch.

There was a short yelp, then dead silence as Cole's throat constricted.

_The weakling passed out, _he thought to himself as he forced a chuckle, opening his throat again.

Cole kicked Zane roughly in the ribs in an attempt to wake him up. He gave up after a few hard jabs and glared at Kai, who scowled back unflinchingly from where he still sat under a tree.

Cole slung Zane roughly over one shoulder, the long, pale arms dangling over his back, head lolling in a way that reminded Kai of a rope swing in an autumn breeze.

Cole wrapped one arm around Zane's black pants and held him there. "Get up, Kai." He growled angrily. "It's been well over two minutes, and we need to move."

_That's right, Cole. _His mind taunted him. _Run away from the water, tail between your legs. Cowardice at its epitome._

Kai shook his head angrily as he stood up. "I'm not going anywhere until you hold that man in a more cultured fashion."

Cole tightened his grip on Zane's legs. "I'll do as I please, prisoner." _Count on an arrogant nobleman to reprimand me on culture..._

Kai walked straight up to Cole and looked down at him. It was almost humorous, how much taller he was than this man. The top of the Dark Knight's head was at Kai's nose. It wasn't that Cole was really that short, it was just that Kai was tall.

Kai smirked. "I thought we were escaping together, as teammates, and you had given us our freedom."

Cole scowled back. "Until you are back to your weakling father and ugly wench of a mother, you belong to me." He jabbed at his chest with his free hand to accentuate the point.

Kai's jaw went tense as he grabbed Zane's body from Cole's shoulder in sharp, almost mechanical movements, and cradled him gently in his own, one hand under the knees and another under the slumped shoulders. "Be careful what you say of my parents, you brute." He snarled with enough heat to melt iron, his teeth bared and eyebrows riding low on his eyelids. If only looks could kill.

Cole shrugged cooly, telling himself that he was enjoying this. _A dispute like this is what prevents good companionship,_ he told himself. _This is good. This is safe._

Kai turned on his heel, a sharp noise in the gravel, and began walking toward the direction the water was gushing.

"And where do you think you're going?" Cole barked. His mind was reeling, because he already knew. _Does Kai realize that I can't follow him to the water?_

Kai didn't even dignify the man enough to look back. "I hear water over this way," he called out, voice no less heated than before. "You can help me revive the poor man, or go on your own path. I honestly don't care which you chose." He walked into the trees and left Cole behind him, open mouthed and silent in shock.

* * *

Pixal sat on her horse, watching the family reunion from a distance. _Perhaps I should just leave, _she thought to herself as she looked at her prisoner.

She let an attempt at a friendly smile cross her face as she spoke to Jay. "What do you think, Walker?" She asked in a casual tone.

Jay jumped, startled out of his thoughts by her voice. He looked up at her in a bemused way, wondering what had possessed this woman. One minute snarling, teeth bared like a wolverine, the next smiling warmly, as if taking to an old friend. "About what?" He asked cautiously.

Pixal shrugged nonchalantly. "Should I take you to my father right this minute, or should I..." Her face became distant, and she let her words trail off as a loud beeping started playing through her computers.

Jay looked up at her again, one eyebrow raised and a snarky smile on his lips. "I wasn't aware that I had more than one option, my lady."

"Quiet, Walker." She snapped back. "I'm getting a transmission." Her eyes began to glow a brilliant green, and she allowed the person on the other end to make communications. "Is that you, Zane?" She asked quickly, peering into the green haze of her bird communicator.

"Still haven't been able to make contact, huh?" A deep voice replied.

"Lloyd!" Pixal exclaimed, a real smile gracing her lips. "No, he hasn't tried to make contact. It concerns me somewhat."

"Why is that, Pix?" The voice asked though the green haze.

Pixal sighed heavily and let the smile drop. "He turned off all means of communication and tracking. As far as me or father know, he fell off the face of the earth."

There was a long pause, in which Jay decided to speak again. "Excuse me?"

Pixal reached out with one hand and slapped his face without even bothering to look at him. Her head stayed rigid and erect. "I want silence from you, Walker." She hissed as Jay backed up a single step and shut his mouth.

"Walker?" Lloyd sounded amused. "So you finally caught him, Pix?" A short chuckle. "After all these years, your obsession will finally come to an end."

Pixal frowned. "I told you, it's not an obsession."

"And I'm not your boyfriend." He countered.

She was surprised by his audacity. "No, you're not, actually." She pursed her lips.

"Mmm. Pity." Lloyd's tone suggested teasing. "Sorry about Zane," he tried to cover for his joke with some formality. "But that's actually the reason I called. My father requests counsel with you, Lord Julien, and Kaytake. The situation is getting to be pretty bad."

Pixal nodded, although she knew Lloyd could not see the gesture. "Sounds good," she replied. "A week from today?"

"How about...tonight." Lloyd answered. "Father says it's urgent."

"Tonight?" Pixal's mouth opened wide. "Where do I keep Walker?"

"Relax, Pix." Lloyd's tone was condescending. "Bring him with you. I'm sure our prisons are secure enough for him." His tone was heavy with sarcasm.

"Please stop that," Pixal said with a frown. "You know I don't do that dry humor."

"Fine, sorry." Lloyd's laugh filled the receiver. "Anyways, I've already contacted your father, but since you still haven't made Kaytake a bird, you'll have to tell him yourself."

"And what makes you think I'm in that area?" Pixal shot back. "I could be halfway to the Northerns right now."

"Or you could be three miles to the west of Kaytake's mansion, with Nya in tow," Lloyd let the sarcasm drip back into his tone. "No, you're right, I apologize. You're too busy to deliver a message for the prince."

Pixal rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Excellent." She could hear the smile in Lloyd's single word reply. "See you tonight."

"Fine." Pixal reprimanded herself for reusing the word. "Over and out."

"Over." Lloyd was gone.

Pixal blinked the dryness out of her eyes as the glow disappeared, and she looked at her surroundings. Everyone was staring at her, mouths agape. She was certain the sound a pin dropping might be loud enough to make them jump in surprise.

"What are you all staring at?" She snapped, kicking her horse. "I have orders from Garmadon. Kaytake is to go to the Middle realm for an urgent meeting tonight."

She turned her mount and rode off at a brisk pace, ignoring Jay's loud protests when her horse went off at a loping stride, leaving him in a fight to keep up.

* * *

Kai looked behind him once, just to see if the black cloak and ugly purple feather were trailing him. To his satisfaction, the Dark Knight was nowhere in sight. He let out a chuckle and shifted Zane's weight to a more comfortable position.

_What a story I'll have to tell when we get back, _he though to himself. _I simply walk away from Sir Cole, and he does not follow. I took my freedom from a man with a four day scruff and humiliatingly long hair. _

He walked on at a brisk pace for several minutes before Zane began to wake up.

The Nindroid let out a deep-throated groan and opened his eyes. The blue orbs darted around until they found Kai's face. "Don't tell me you actually walked away, my friend." He said in a tone that told the Southern nobleman that Zane already knew the truth.

Kai set him down on the ground gently and nodded. "What do you want me to say? The beast wandered off."

Zane rubbed his jaw, where the blow from Cole had landed. "He wandered off, or you chained him to the ground and wandered off yourself?" His voice was dry and reprimanding.

Kai gave him a sly grin. "Yeah, I just found a coil of rope randomly and challenged the strongest man in the world to a tussle. Winner ties the other up and takes the Nindroid away." He crossed his arms and transitioned his weight to one leg. "No, you tin head. I just walked off. He didn't stop me."

Zane raised an eyebrow. "And it doesn't seem suspicious to you?"

"Should it?" Kai offered a hand to him.

The man grasped the hand and used it to pull himself to his feet. "He is not called the island's most notorious criminal for nothing."

Kai let go of Zane's cold hand and rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, my lord."

Zane's face turned into a frown as he adjusted the cloak on his shoulders. "I am simply suggesting that we use caution. He is crafty."

_Crack. _

Kai tensed as the sound rang through his ears, then was gone. He turned his head to the right, wondering if he had imagined it. His heart caught in his throat as the figure who had broken the branch became visible.

_A stone warrior! _The black figure was walking toward them, a perverted smile fixed on its face as it brandished a sword.

Kai exchanged a glance with Zane. The Nindroid gave him an _'I told you so'_ look.

"So what do you suggest, Zane?" Kai backed up a step. "Which direction do we run?"

Zane pursed his lips and turned in a full circle before responding. "We should run to the river." He took off running before Kai could stop him.

Kai let out an exclamation of surprise and followed right on the Northern nobleman's heels.

The stone warrior gave chase with its slow, marching stride. The heavy soldiers obviously weren't built for speed.

Zane reached the water within a few minutes, and Kai was right on his heels. Fortunately for them, the stone warrior was moving slowly, as if relishing in its foreseeable victory.

Kai surveyed the large tributary with one quick sweep of his brown eyes, and immediately decided that the river was too deep to cross safely. Surely at its deepest point it would be at least six feet, and the churning white water somehow looked more unpleasant than capture. At least if he was back on Sir Cole's ship, he would be alive. This water screamed out its bloodlust in the white foamy waves.

He backed out of the water and turned around hesitantly, his knees trembling to the point of caving in on themselves as his eyes once again surveyed the territory. "Zane?" He whispered. "You got a plan?"

Zane gave him with a cool look, free of anxiety or fear. "Yes, I do."

The ring of nearly four dozen black samurais were moving in steady, long strides toward him, each with either a sword or bow clutched in black hands.

Kai nodded, grateful for the android's courage. It helped him stay calm. "Great, care to elaborate?"

Zane rubbed his jaw, where Cole had punched him almost ten minutes before. He pointed at the trees. "I need to cut them down."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "We have no weapons, Zane." He reasoned.

Zane gave him a tricky smile. "My friend," he said quickly. "You stand in the presence of a weapon." He rolled up his left sleeve and flicked open a panel.

Kai looked at it with amazement. If he hadn't seen the Nindroid open it, he would never have known it was there. It was virtually seamless.

Zane pushed a button, then examined the tree before them with a clenched fist. "This one will do nicely," he said with a determined nod and a smile that seemed strangely out of place in their situation. "Stand back, Kai."

Kai did as he was told, and watched with curiosity as Zane opened his fist. A bright blue laser suddenly flashed from his palm, shooting into the base of the large tree and making an incision straight through to the other side of the trunk, damaging a nearby bush.

Kai looked up at the top of the tree, which towered more than thirty feet over their heads, as it swayed and began to fall to their left, into the river.

Zane shut his panel, extinguishing the blue beam. He leapt forward and shoved the tree away from the water. It crashed into the gravel, parallel to the riverbank, leaving a gap of about thirty feet between the thick, tangled branches and the bank.

Kai's mouth was opened wide in shock. Zane had just _pushed_ a tree out of its original crash course, and made a sort of barrier between them and the stone samurais.

Zane turned to face him, a look of pleasure and satisfaction on his face that melted away when he saw Kai's expression. "What?" He raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

Kai blinked once and clamped his jaw shut with an audible snap that made his teeth hurt. He pointed at the tree, which stood between the stone warriors and them. "You just chopped down a tree with a light from your fist, then redirected its fall singlehandedly!" He shouted. "How else was I supposed to react?"

Zane gave him a queer look and smiled awkwardly. He adjusted his cloak's position on his shoulders and looked at the trees around them that still stood upright. "I am glad you liked the show, my friend." He said quickly. "But we are not done yet." He flipped his wrist panel open again and went for the next tree.

* * *

**So do you see why I named this chapter 'Deadfall?' I though it was clever. **

**And oh my Overlord, Zane just became all the more awesome. That was one of those things that I came up with on the fly. No, really! I was thinking Zane could have some convenient handheld saw in his boot that Cole missed ****during the weapon strip before meeting Kai...but it was just too convenient. And too small. Those trees are huge, and the warriors too close. A Nindroid who is just as convenient as Batman's utility belt is a lot more awesome than a convenient saw in his boot. **

**By the way, I need to know! Did I take Zane took much OOC in this one? I have a hard time finding that line between 'weird' and 'pleasant' that Zane commands in the TV series, you know? He's a bit unpredictable, so I figured his reaction in the last few paragraphs was fine. But I am often wrong. **

**Just so I'm certain there's no dispute over this, Cole does not have a split personality. Nor is he insane. We all talk to ****ourselves, right? I'm not the only one with the voices in her head, telling her how certain characters should die...**

**Kidding. But I would not be surprised it you believed it. **

**Do you like it when I write from Cole's POV? Or should I do more Kai/Zane? ****How about Pixal's POV? Was that a little ****unnecessary, having that conversation over 'bird phone' the way I did? I should probably keep away from that as much as possible.**

**Everyone, time to call Lloyd a jerk for trying to hit on pig-face, LOL. That was unexpected, I can tell you that much. I was originally going for this idea that Lloyd was going to try to ask for Nya's hand in marriage, sometime before chapter one, and I would have short references to the encounter throughout the story. But I ****didn't. You like my decision to stay away from a LloydXNyaXJay triangle? **

**And are my authors notes too long? Please tell me if you think I should shorten them in the future.**


	6. Subterfuge

**I am so, so sorry!**

**Words cannot explain how upset I am for making you all wait an extra week. I had this entire chapter written a week ago, but then decided I didn't like the way it was going, and deleted it, then started over. Ugh. I value quality over speed, it seems. **

**The bright side of the matter is this: I got part 2 of **'NJTWSIT' **Chapter 5, part 2, 'Not Again' is finished! I just have to edit it, and I will get it up. A whole 17,000 words, one week. My priorities might have been misplaced, but it is such a cute chapter. ****And by the way, Kai is not dead. (My goodness, you guys actually thought I would kill both him AND Jay?)**

**Alright, back to this story. If you find these [brackets,] you will know that I made a mistake. Those are my marks that tell me that I need to italicize something. I write on Werdsmith, so I need to put in the [italicize brackets] so I know where to change the font here on Fanfiction. If you find any of those, please tell me, and I will get it fixed promptly. **

**As was requested, you guys get a chapter with some Zane POV. I also have some Kaytake POV thrown in. Have at it, you know the drill. Then review. Please?**

* * *

**Subterfuge **

* * *

Zane couldn't help but be amused by Kai's stunned reaction to one of his many abilities. He turned to face the ruddy haired man, unable to hide the grin. "Stand over there," he pointed to the topside of the toppled tree, ten or twelve yards away. "You will lead them to this side of the tree and give them a good chase. I will do the rest."

Kai stared at him, caught between shock and rebellion. "Why?" Was all he could make his tongue say.

Zane gave him an impatient look and let the smile drop. "Have a better plan?" His left fist was still clenched tightly, and he could feel the buzz of the laser, just itching to be freed and do some damage to the trees.

Kai shook his head and took off toward the other end of the tree without another word.

Zane stood on the balls of his feet, poised to run. He stood at the charred stump of the tree and watched as Kai ran out about twenty feet in the stone army's direction, then tossed a large pebble at one of the warriors closest to him, still a good thirty or so paces off. _My goodness,_ Zane thought. _Kai is strong. _The fact that Kai had actually hit the soldier from that far off suggested superior motor coordination and strength.

The samurai that got hit with the rock shouted out in anger, even though anyone with half a brain, let alone a sophisticated computer brain like Zane, could tell that it didn't hurt the brute. It was the obvious challenge of authority that infuriated the black warrior.

Zane watched as Kai took off running away from the angry stone samurais. _No, Kai!_ He shouted in his mind. _You're going the wrong way, you fool!_

Kai was running back the way he came, to the far end of the tree. All of the warriors, at least forty in total, took up the chase and ran at full speed after the man. Thankfully, even at their highest speed they were slower than Kai, who must have had a massive adrenaline rush at the terror of having an angry invincible army on his tail.

Zane pursed his lips and growled, his feet shuffling as his mind scrambled for a new plan. Kai was supposed to come to him, to the cut end of the tree, not the far end. Had he not been clear on that point? Perhaps not...

He shot for the other end of the fallen tree, gravel flying behind him as he ran. He looked through the thick branches at Kai's position every few seconds.

At his current speed, he would barely get there in time. "Faster, Kai!" He shouted as he reached the other end of the tree. His eyes fell upon another tree that was practically in the river. He stood next to it with his buzzing fist and waited another second for Kai, who was breathing heavily when he skidded to a stop a couple feet from Zane.

He threw the Nindroid a look full of frustration and rage as he spoke. "H-honestly, Zane," he panted. "What was the point of that?"

Zane resisted the urge to reach out and slap the man. "You went the wrong way, Kai!" He said quickly, more frustrated and annoyed than angry. "Now hurry up and run to the other end of the tree, where I was standing a moment ago." He pointed with his right hand. "Now this is important, Kai." He said in a stern voice, pointing his finger at the man's chest. "Stop running about five feet from the base of the tree and wait for me. No matter what happens, wait." His eyes bore into Kai's head. "Can you do that?"

Kai nodded. "I think so," he panted.

Zane wanted to give him a lecture on the difference between_ 'I think so'_ and _'I know so,'_ but he did not have time. He looked to his right, at the raging warriors that were gaining ground swiftly, and shoved Kai in the direction he wanted him to go. "Go now!" He shouted. He darted around the trunk of the huge tree and crouched down, grateful that the warriors were too focussed on the hotheaded man to even consider him.

He watched Kai run for a few seconds before he was forced to duck and hide his face in the thick branches, because the stone army was beating past him with their heavy boots that made horrible grating noises against the gravel, and they might see him.

Zane closed his eyes and cooly counted to eight before reopening them and looking around again. The last few samurais were passing between the standing tree and the end of his fallen one. He took a deep breath and got to his feet, then looked at the base of the tree and opened his palm.

The blue beam of light made no sound as it leapt from his hand, as if glad to finally be freed after several minutes of dormancy. He cut the tree in one swift motion, then watched it begin to fall just as the very last warrior crossed his invisible line. He pushed the huge tree with all his might, and it fell with a great cracking and snapping of branches, creating a barrier between his first fallen tree and the river. Somehow, the warriors failed to notice the activity behind them.

He chuckled in satisfaction and clenched his fist again, then pressed the button in his panel and killed the beam in his hand. He sloshed through a shallow section of the water, then back onto the gravel on the other side of the fallen tree. He peered though the branches and saw that Kai was still running.

He wrapped his fingers around a few huge branches at the base of the tree and lifted it carefully, then pushed the end with all his might into the river a good six or so feet, to where the rocky bottom substrate of the river suddenly plummeted several feet and became too deep and swift for anyone to get around the tree safely without extreme caution.

His foot caught on a rock suddenly, and fire seemed to run up his leg as he fell to the ground with a terrible cry of pain.

He grunted as he slowly got back onto his feet, and he bit his lip to keep from screaming again as his vision doubled. _I must have twisted my knee,_ he thought angrily as he examined the tree. _Good enough, I guess..._

Zane didn't have much of a choice now, anyway. He was injured, and Kai was about to be slaughtered at the other end of the tree. He forced himself to ignore the pain and ran as fast as he could to the other end of the tree. _I'm coming, Kai._

* * *

Nya stared at Pixal's horse in disbelief as it carried its master off, half dragging the stunned Jay with it in the sudden canter.

"What just happened?" Driniah asked in a hushed tone as she remounted her horse.

Kaytake shrugged. "It looks like she got a call from Lloyd, and I need to leave soon." He said it more as a question than as a statement.

His wife shook her head. "You should leave now," she said. "It will take several hours to make it to King Garmadon's castle."

Nya nodded and nudged he horse forward so she could move over to where her mother's beast stood. "I agree, father," she said. "If Pixal says it's urgent, you don't want to keep them waiting."

Kaytake gave her a worried look. "But you are hurt, Nya." He said in a worried tone. "I'd hate to run off on you two at a time like this."

Driniah scoffed, a light smile on her face as she spoke. "Please, just go. We will be fine, I assure you." She pointed in the direction Pixal had gone a moment before. "Your duty is to the king. I can handle Nya."

Kaytake's eyes traveled between his wife's firm blue eyes and his daughter's soft brown ones. He looked behind him, in the direction Driniah pointed, and sighed heavily. "Okay," he said reluctantly. He dipped his head slightly, then raised it and went to the older woman's horse. He took her hand and kissed it lightly, a fire-like twinkle in his brown eyes. "I'll go, love." A grin twisted his lips. "I see that I'm not wanted here."

Nya allowed herself a giggle. The first since last night, with her brother. The sudden thought almost pulled her head back into the dark hole she had been in earlier that day. But she stopped the momentum and spoke in a lighthearted tone. "We would love nothing better than to have you here, father." She furrowed her brows in pain when the light laugh sent needles through her abdomen.

Driniah caught her daughter's drift and finished the statement with a firm tone. "But we would also like Garmadon's guidance on how to get our son back." She squeezed her husband's hand. "Surely you have the same sentiments, Kay?"

Kaytake allowed the little flame to die down in his eyes. He nodded resolutely and spoke in a soft tone. "Did you ever doubt it, love?" He let go of her hand and went over to Nya's horse.

He patted her leg gently and smiled. "I'll see you in a day or two, if all goes well."

Nya caught his hand and held it tightly. She feared it might have been too tight, but she didn't really care. "Good luck, father." She smiled as best she could, curving the corners of her mouth upward slightly. "I will await your safe return."

Kaytake grinned. "There's the positive attitude, daughter." He turned to his horse and leapt into the saddle with ease. "Malian," he addressed the man standing in the trees.

The general kicked his horse forward and bowed his head in respect as he approached. "Yes, my Lord?"

Kaytake gestured to the women and spoke. "Two of your men will come with me. You and the others will go with my family back to the estate."

The Malian raised his head and waved out a set of commands to his men without turning his head. Two men came and stood on either side of their Southern lord at attention, their red cloaks tickling the flanks of white horses.

Kaytake nodded in approval and leaned in close to Malian's ear. "I want guards on my wife and child at all times, general." He whispered. "Sir Cole may try to take them."

Malian's face darkened. "With all due respect, sir," he whispered back, understanding that his lord did not want the ladies to hear this conversation. He held up his hand and waved it dismissively. His men immediately turned and guided the women away, toward the manor, without a word.

He continued speaking in a normal tone when they were out of hearing range. "You know we would fight to our deaths for you and our good king Garmadon. But the sharpest blade in the kingdom would not scratch one of the Dark Knight's stone warriors."

The Southern realm's lord nodded and spoke patiently. "Do not think the fact escapes me, Malian." He said slowly. "But I do not ask you to fight. You are to guard. At the first sign of danger, you are to take them to a safe place, and send men to contact me." He turned his horse slowly as he finished his words. "I am going to find the weapons that can help us defeat those vile creatures, and send them back to the Dark Island."

Malian's face registered confusion. "There are weapons that can destroy the Overlord's men?"

"Indeed," Kaytake said. "Yes, my dear friend, there are four of them. They are swords, actually. And I am off to assist Garmadon in collecting their owners." He gestured toward the mansion. "Go now, and do not disappoint me." He smiled.

Malian smiled back. "Have I ever done so before?" He spurred his horse forward, leaving his lord alone with the two men.

Kaytake immediately kicked his own horse's flank. "Come," he said in an authoritative voice. "We need to catch up to Lady Pixal, and that vagrant she picked up somewhere along the way." He continued along for several minutes before catching sight of them a good distance ahead.

He examined the man Pixal had bound and running next to her horse with curiosity. _There's something about that man, _He thought to himself._ He has an aura about him like my son and Zane..._

He decided to address the suspicion when he reached the castle.

* * *

Kai ran for all he was worth in the direction Zane had shoved him, and did not dare to look back for fear that it might slow him down.

He heard the sound of many trampling feet chasing him, and wondered how they were going to run past Zane without seeing him. _That man has the strangest_ _abilities,_ he told himself. _I have to admit, he is no fool. He has a plan, and I think I trust him enough to know he doesn't plan on getting us both caught._

He reached the end of the tree before remembering where Zane had told him specifically to stand. _Get it right, you dunce._ He ran about five feet back into the gap between the tree and the raging water, then pulled up short. The warriors were advancing slowly again, snarling and cackling evilly, speaking to each other in their throaty, guttural tongue.

Kai let out a short gasp when he looked beyond the warriors, to the newly chopped tree that lay partially in the water, perpendicular to the last one, making a sort of cage. _However,_ he noted, _my side of the trap is open. What good will this plan of his do us when I am stuck here, inside of his cage, with a good sized army of invincible warriors bent on killing me?_

His eyes traveled back to the black stone men before him, and he bit the inside of his cheek. A sharp, metallic taste filled his mouth, and he knew he had drawn blood. _Where are you, Zane?_ He asked impatiently._ If this is some kind of crazy trust building exercise, I don't think it's funny._

"Kai!" He heard Zane's voice, and he turned his head quickly to see where the Nindroid was. His pulse spiked. _You're injured, Zane! _He took off running for the limping man, who was still a ways off.

Kai ran to Zane's side and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. "Where to?" He asked. "I am going to assume this wasn't part of the plan?"

Zane glared at him, his face a deep red from exertion. "Don't even go there," he growled. He took a deep breath and glanced between the forest and his failed trap. "I don't think we can do anything," he said. "My injury is too serious for me to run without hurting myself further. You just run."

Kai looked at him with wide eyes. "You want me to leave you here?" He shook his head. "I'm sorry, my friend. That isn't going to happen."

"Either we both get caught," Zane reasoned. "Or you run, and I get caught. Pick your poison."

Kai considered this a moment. _'I wasn't planning on escape, my friend,' _Zane's voice came to him in a memory of earlier that morning. _'My plan was companionship, not escape. My goal was to protect you, and see if I could eventually find a route of escape after we were already on the island.'_

Kai sucked on the bite mark in his cheek for a moment before giving his answer. "I am staying with you, Zane." He hated himself for saying it, but at the same time, it made him feel better. "Come what may, I'm not leaving your side." He scooped Zane unceremoniously into his arms and began to run.

"Kai!" Zane struggled to wrest himself free of the Southern nobleman's grasp. "Please, I'll only slow you down."

"Not a chance," Kai shot back. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not abandoning you here."

"How heroic," a voice spoke up with mild humor to Kai's left.

Kai pulled up short and whirled his head toward the speaker. The hairs rose on the back of his neck. "What are you doing here, Dark Knight?" He said harshly.

Sir Cole stepped out of the trees, a small smile on his face. "Come with me, quickly." He ran into the trees, the way he had first come from.

Kai filled his mouth with saliva and spat on the ground. "Not on your life." He growled, though he knew Cole could not hear it.

"Follow him, Kai." Zane said firmly. "Do you have a better plan?"

Kai glanced behind him, and heard the sound of angry stone warriors in pursuit. "I don't trust him."

"Do you trust me?" Zane asked, a stone expression on his face.

Kai hesitated. "Yes," he said slowly. "I think so."

"Then follow him, now." Zane said harshly. "If you trust me, you will do as I say."

"Fine," Kai spat. He took off after Cole, once again feeling an intense hatred toward Cole, Zane, and himself. He wished that he could be assertive for once, but also knew it just wasn't in his blood. He could never be like his father, or his sister. He was his mother through and through.

He followed the black cloak in front of him for several minutes before the man turned to face him, and they both can to a stop next to an outcropping of large boulders on the side of a hill.

Cole gestured to the rocks, then walked into the boulders and disappeared. "Come on, Red Knight." His voice traveled back to Kai's ears, sounding muffled and distant. He did as he was told, and stepped up to the boulders. To his mild surprise, he saw that, if approached at the right angle, the dark mouth of a small cave became visible.

He stepped over a few small boulders, being extra careful not to hit Zane's head on any rocks. The cave was damp, and smelled a little musty. He squinted in the dim light and ducked low, because the ceiling was no higher than four feet in most places.

"Stop," Cole whispered, making Kai realize that he was about to run into the man. They must be at the back of the small cave. "You can rest now, but do it quietly. We don't want to be seen or heard."

Kai gently set Zane on the earthy ground, then went back to the mouth of the cave. He felt himself holding his breath when he saw a few stone warriors running past the mouth of the cave, bewildered by the fact that their prey had disappeared so suddenly.

He let out his breath and chuckled to himself in mock pity of the shortsighted samurais. He turned to face the others, the went to his knees next to Zane. "Cole," he whispered. "Why do they have such strange pursuit techniques?"

Cole let out a chuckle. "I know, it's strange." He whispered back. "But it's a good strategy, when you think about it. They run when you run, and they walk when you walk, or stand still. I've learned to just roll with it."

Kai shook his head and sighed. "It's just so...confusing." He looked at Zane's silhouette on the floor next to him. "Can you give us some light?" He whispered.

In response, Zane's head began to glow faintly. His face was contorted in pain and annoyance as he looked between Cole and Kai. "I think I can tell you with complete honesty," he said in a strained voice. "I have absolutely no clue what's going on."

Cole cleared his throat and sat down on the wall opposite of Kai and Zane. He seemed a little wary of the Nindroid's glowing head. "What happened, my dear prisoner," he began in a husky voice. "Is that Kai took you out of my protection, and the stone warriors found you." He threw a dark look in the red-shirted man's direction.

Kai stared back with the same dour expression. "You knocked him unconscious with a punch in the face," he said sourly. "I felt threatened, and you didn't exactly treat us like you wanted us around."

Cole's hand brushed against the hilt of his blade, the returned to his lap. "If I didn't want you around," each word was forced and full of hatred. "I would have left you with the stone warriors, and stayed in this cave all by myself."

Kai pointed a finger at Cole's face accusingly. "Or you could have left us alone on purpose, in a mad attempt to prove that we need you."

Zane watched at the argument in a half amused, half annoyed state of mind. "Can't trust anyone, can you, Kai?" He asked with a smile.

Kai whirled his head around and gave Zane the same stare he had drilled Cole with moments before. "Apparently not, Zane." He spat. "You-"

"I told you to follow our only hope out of the dilemma out there." Zane pointed to the mouth of the cave. "Can you look me in the eyes and tell me with complete honesty that you'd rather be with those monsters?" His voice was rivaling Kai's in anger intensity.

Kai blinked at the man, shocked by the change. This man was the calm, controlled one who never lost his head. But right now, the robot's glowing yellow face had a scowl that made him look possessed.

It was a fact not lost on Cole's part, either. The Dark Knight found his fingers trembling again at the sight of Zane's face. The bright, angry blue eyes were placed in sharp contrast with the orange yellow skin, and he found himself wondering if that was what the Overlord might look like, if he were to have a body.

Zane held the unwavering stare to Kai's face until the brown eyes drifted to the dimly illuminated earthy walls in defeat.

"Good," Zane said. He softened his face. "Now, to make things easier, I think we can all agree that we need to get along. If we can pretend to not hate each other for the next twenty four hours, we'll be heading down the right path."

Cole let a small smile cross his face. "Agreed."

Kai looked at Zane's face long and hard before giving a heavy sigh and nodding reluctantly. "Fine."

* * *

Pixal rode her horse in silence at a fast pace, not even acknowledging Kaytake's presence when he finally did catch up. Together, the two of them rode through the forest for miles upon miles.

After a while, Pixal could tell that they were getting close to the banks of the Dicara river. They would need to go upstream a good ways until they found the bridge in the narrowest part of the gushing, violent waters.

"So," Jay decided to break the silence. It made Pixal cringe, but she decided to let him speak, at least for a few minutes. Let him enjoy the freedom while he still had a head on his shoulders.

"I am going to assume you are the Lord Kaytake." Jay continued. He looked up at the middle aged man with a smile that seemed friendly and respectful.

"I am," Kaytake replied. "And you are..."

"Jay Walker." The young man replied, his deep blue eyes shining, as if there was something funny in what he had just said. "I met your daughter, Nya." He said after a moment. "She is a lovely girl."

Kaytake raised an eyebrow. "When did you meet her?"

"Last night." Jay realized that he probably wasn't helping himself by being so vague, so he quickly told his story, starting at the time that he first saw Sir Cole's ship the night before. Pixal interjected at random times with her own bits of information. Jay was more than a little bit enigmatic with the details of his capture, which humored Pixal greatly. Not that she could blame him, she honestly felt that she would feel the same way if she were in his stolen boots.

After he told his story, Kaytake was silent for a minute. "Thank you," he said eventually. "I do believe you saved my daughter's life."

Jay shrugged his shoulders, which were sore from being behind his back so long, and spoke nonchalantly. "No problem, sir. I mean, anyone else would do the same. I'm no killer, and I couldn't just leave her there, y'know?"

Kaytake's eyes lit up a little. This man was a ball of bubbling energy. In a way, it reminded him of his daughter. "Yes, I do know." He said with a nod. "You're a good man, Walker. It's a pity. If you were in my jurisdiction, I would have issued an official pardon for you."

Jay's eyes widened in surprise, but only for a moment. He blinked and leveled his gaze with his superior, nodding once. "It is kind of you to say so," he said with a slight smile. His scarred eyebrow raised slightly with the grin.

Pixal stopped her horse abruptly, and took in the surroundings. "Stop," she hissed. "My eagle senses something." She took in the rocky hill to their right, and listened closely to the river on their left.

Jay watched curiously as a bird landed on one of the large boulders. It let out a loud cry, then flew to Pixal's arm.

The blond woman held out her arm for the huge bird, and it landed tentatively, settling its taloned feet on her shirt. Jay was surprised that she didn't flinch. The talons looked sharp enough to puncture the skin in a blink, if it wasn't careful.

Pixal stared at it in the eyes for a long moment, as if making a telepathic bond with each other. Jay decided that it wouldn't surprise him. He traded a look with Kaytake and they both grinned, shrugging their shoulders.

Pixal's eyes widened, and she let out a gasp. The bird flew back to the boulder and let out a high pitched cry.

She leapt from her horse and over to the bird's side. "Zane?" She shouted loudly. "Where are you?"

Jay turned to Kaytake again and mouthed the words 'she's crazy' to the man. The Southern lord chortled and rolled his eyes, not bothering with an answer. Jay decided then that he really liked the man.

"Zane?" Pixal called out again. "The eagle says he could hear your voice. Please stop hiding." She scrambled around the rocks, looking under each one with mad fervor.

"Pixal?" Zane's voice carried through the rocks, and Pixal stopped short.

A frown crossed her face. "If this is a game, it's not funny!" She snapped back.

A man with reddish brown hair crawled out from the rocks, from a cave Pixal had not seen until now. She stared at the man for a long moment, trying to place him in her mind. "Kai?" She finally found his name. "Where is Zane?"

Kai got to his feet and wiped the dust from his knees. It was a futile attempt, of course. His clothes, Pixal decided, just needed a good wash. No one, let alone a _nobleman_, should be in such soiled clothing.

The man pointed to the hole he had just come through. "Zane's in there, with an injured knee. Can you-"

Pixal shot past him and crawled into the hole carefully, being especially cautious of her clothing. She had a _white_ shirt, for goodness sakes. She had to stay clean. "Brother?" She spotted him immediately, because of his head, which was alight with a soft yellow glow. She got to her feet and crouched low, as to not bump her head on the low ceiling.

Zane frowned slightly at the sight of her. "How did you find me?" He said slowly. "I turned off my location for a reason, you know. I did not want to be found."

Pixal dropped to her knees next to him, finally giving up on cleanliness. The cave was too dirty for such luxuries. She wrapped her arms round him and pulled him into an embrace. "You're such a boar," she whispered. "Oh, I am so glad you're safe."

Zane returned the embrace and kissed her cheek. "It's only been a day, sister." He said. "But Kai is safe, and I suppose I can come home now."

A dark figure shifted suddenly in the shadows, and took a step toward the siblings. His green eyes seemed to glow in the dim light with his hatred. "No one is going home," Sir Cole spoke up. "You're all coming with me."

* * *

**My beta reader was so upset that I stopped here. I know, it seems a little confusing. Explanations to come in the next chapter. I would have kept ****going, and given you a little bit of an explanation in this chapter, but if I had, you would have needed too wait an extra day. Torture of the worst kind, at least for me. I hate making you guys wait. **

**You see, I always have a reason behind my names. Cole has been using 'Subterfuge' on the guys. To what degree has his trickery rooted? Fins out next chapter. **

**To make up for missing a week, I will give you the next chapter whenever it is ready, and not next Tuesday. In other words, I may get the next chapter ready by this Saturday, or maybe Sunday. Does that make up for it? :) I hope so. **


	7. Acquiescence

**I want to say that I'm sorry for this chapter. It does not flow half as well as I would like, and under normal conditions, I would scrap it and start over. But I promised you a chapter, so a chapter is what you're going to get. Just bear with the characters ****that seem inconsistent, and the bad grammar. I did my best on my time crunch.**

**And yes, Cole seems a little ****backwards, and he randomly inverts at the strangest times. It is done on purpose. **

**Warning, hints of drugs. But I am keeping it well within the boundaries of my T rating. Please tell me if I start to cross the line. **

* * *

Pixal let go of Zane and stared at the dark man in the corner, dumbfounded. "What do you mean?" She challenged. "Who do you think you are, making such claims?"

Cole stepped into the light, ducking low to avoid hitting his feathered hat on the ceiling. "I mean that I need you, Lady Pixal." He said, softening his tone a touch. "But details can wait until we are back on the ship. I don't know about you, but I need a bottle." He cooly walked out of the cave, and left the siblings alone.

Pixal turned her head back to her brother, her eyes wide with alarm, and glowing with anger. "Is that Sir Cole?" She whispered hoarsely. _My goodness, the man is a maniac..._

Zane nodded and shifted his position on the ground. "My knee got knocked out of joint. Can you twist it back into place? Kai couldn't do it, and Cole didn't seem capable of anything as delicate as this."

Pixal nodded and rolled his pant leg up to the thigh. "You're not even a little bit concerned-" The sound of a horn cut her off. Her eyes grew rounder. "What was that?"

Zane sighed heavily and furrowed his brows. "It would seem," he said slowly. "That I am not going home today after all."

Pixal examined his face carefully. He was obviously under a lot of stress, and was a little bit panicked. He just wasn't showing it on the surface. She ran her hands down his leg and forced a smile. "This might hurt a little," she said as she twisted his calf to the right with a sudden jerk.

Zane let out a short cry of pain, but quickly stifled it, biting his cheek. He looked at her and nodded. "Thank you," he said. He grabbed his sister's hand and got to his feet slowly, testing his weight. He smiled weakly at her. "Being a robot has some distinct advantages." He rolled down his pant leg and gestured toward the door, where sound of angry shouting could be heard. "Let's go and see what Kai and Cole are fighting about this time." He went through the door, with Pixal on his heels.

The moment Pixal was out and into the open again, she could sense that something was wrong. Kai was shouting at an unfazed Cole, who was playing with a small ebony horn in one hand.

"Kai." Kaytake came forward on his horse, a stern look on his face. He looked between his son and Cole, his gaze lasting a little longer on the black cloaked man. "Sir Cole, right?" His voice was harsh and angry.

"I am," Cole nodded once and put the horn in his pocket. "I would suggest leaving before my warriors get here." His voice held a foreboding quality that said he was not joking. "I have no need for you, your guards, or your prisoner," he nodded at Jay. "I will be forced to kill you four if you do not leave now."

Kaytake stared at Cole for another long moment, his mouth agape. He looked at the three people behind the knight with a feeling of intense frustration. Both of Lord Julien's children, and his own son, captive of the Overlord's most powerful henchman.

Kaytake knew he was no match for the man. Some of the best warriors in the country had lost their lives in the never ending battle to bring this man down. His eyebrows dug deep, almost touching his eyes. He cast his son a desperate look, but saw only the same hopelessness and anger that plagued himself.

He leapt down from his horse and grabbed a knife from a sheath on his hip. He cut Jay free and helped the man onto Pixal's horse. He looked once more at Kai and nodded. "I love you, son." He said, keeping his voice taut so that it wouldn't crack. He gestured to Jay, and they followed the guards off at a fast lope, without daring to look back. He cursed himself for running away like he did, but he knew that he had no choice.

After several miles, they reached the bridge and crossed without incident. Kaytake was glad, because the last thing he wanted was to run into a vicious stone samurai warrior.

Jay did not know Kaytake, but he could tell that being forced to leave his son, and the Nindroids, in the hands of Sir Cole had driven a dagger into the man's gut.

"It wasn't your fault, sir." He said hesitantly.

Kaytake looked up at Jay and offered him a weak smile. "Thank you, Jay." He said sadly. "I just..." He swallowed hard. "I hate feeling so helpless. One minute, we are all there, and I humor myself with thoughts of returning home with my son. And the next," he frowned. "I am forced to turn a blind eye to my son's plight."

Jay nodded in agreement. "You made the right choice, sir. Fighting back would have undoubtedly gotten your son killed."

Kaytake did not reply. The silence reigned for another long moment before Jay spoke up again.

"Why did you let me go?" He asked hesitantly.

Kaytake's eyes shot up, and he looked at Jay as if regarding him for the first time. "Come again?" His voice was weak.

The younger man cleared his throat and spoke again. "You untied me and gave me a horse. Surely you know that I could just run off at any given time," he reasoned.

"But you haven't." Kaytake said blatantly. "You've stayed with me. I am second in command, one of the most powerful people in the nation, and you are a thief who makes his living off of robbing us nobles of our most precious national treasures, and selling them to merchants, who then take them overseas." His brown eyes bored into Jay's blue ones. "I could have you killed, you know."

Jay frowned and pursed his lips. "I know," he said.

"Then why on earth are you still here?" The nobleman prompted. "I am on my way to the king, you know. Do you think he'll be very happy to see you?"

Jay laughed dryly. "No, I suppose not," he said thoughtfully "But...I trust you, sir. And call me crazy, but I don't think I can't leave you."

"Why not?" Kaytake raised an eyebrow.

"Because..." Jay's face flushed slightly with embarrassment. "I know, this just seems crazy, but I am drawn to you. It's like I have this voice in my head, telling me that I _must_ follow you, no exceptions."

Kaytake's mind began to race. _It's happening,_ he thought excitedly. _Garmadon will be pleased._

Out loud, he simply said, "interesting."

* * *

Kai watched his father turn and leave with a feeling of intense sorrow and dread. If even his father was walking away without a fight, then he himself was most certainly a goner. "I love you too, father..." He whispered under his breath.

He watched with mild curiosity as Pixal let out a shout and lunged herself at Cole. She drew a knife and, with one fluid motion, went for his back.

But Cole, Kai decided, had been expecting nothing less. He whirled around and drew his sword in one motion. His free arm went up in a block, and he shoved her to the ground. His sword was at her neck a moment later, and the knife was at Zane's feet.

Cole let out a wicked laugh. "A feisty one, huh?" He grinned and went to one knee, digging it into her torso to keep her still. She wriggled and thrashed with her arms, trying to claw at his face. Cole started swearing at her after several seconds of this.

"Pixal," Zane picked up the knife and glared at her. "Please calm down." He handed the knife to Cole. "Don't hold that sword at her neck, use the smaller blade. You'll be able to control it better."

Cole raised an eyebrow at him and took the knife after only a moment's hesitation.

"Zane!" Pixal screeched. "Who's side are you on? Why aren't you helping me?"

Zane frowned at her and dropped to his knees next to her head. "I am helping you, Pixal." He said in a firm, patient voice. "Can you hold still? It'll make things easier for everyone, yourself included." He looked up at Cole, then at Kai. "I'm going to assume you'll make good on your promise to tell us what's going on?" He asked.

Cole nodded and slapped Pixal's cheek before she could bite him. She laid still and stunned for a moment after that, allowing him to speak. "On my word," he said calmly. "But I'm wondering why you're not throwing a fit like your sister here."

Zane smiled and reached into her cloak. He produced a rope and handed it to Cole. "Because I'm not my sister." He replied simply. "I will speak to you with complete honesty, and say this." He drew out several other weapons from her pockets and tossed them to the ground, out of her reach. "I am not happy with what you've done. I don't appreciate that I'm still going to the Dark Island. But," he held up a hand. "I also know that I have no choice. So helping you get back to the ship seems like the best option, at least for me."

Cole looked up at him, and was silent for a moment. His face was indiscernible. "I've never met a man like you, Zane." He said slowly. "Your courage is unequalled."

Kai couldn't help but smile at the awkward scene in front of him. It took two men to hold down a ten year old robot, who on all accounts looked at least twenty-five years old. "You two need help?" He couldn't resist the joke. "She looks like quite a handful."

"Shut up, Kai." Cole growled. "Just stand there, and the stone warriors won't hurt you."

Kai held up his hands in defeat. "Yes sir," he laughed lightly at himself. He was beginning to see why Zane had a lack of fear around the man. For all the toughness Cole seemed to be on the outside, he was really just another guy with an anger problem. Not that he could claim to be much better than the knight there. It was just nice to know he wasn't the only one out there.

Zane gave Cole a humored look and chuckled. "Kai is joking with you." He stated. "I think you've finally found a way to make friends with him."

"How's that?" Cole rolled Pixal onto her back and tied her hands behind her back. "Strangling women amuses him?" He tied the knot tightly.

"No!" Kai said indignantly. "The fact that a single women is giving you trouble, that's all."

"Sure." Cole said in a crisp voice, although a smile was starting to peek through his lips.

"I'll want those back later," Pixal said tersely, nodding to the weapons on the ground. "Namely, the sword. It was a gift."

Zane chuckled and took it from her waist. "Perhaps later, sister."

At that moment, all forty or so stone warriors came through the trees in formation, and saluted respectfully. One came forward and spoke in its rough language. "Shaak tik ash?" It asked.

Cole looked at the man and spoke. "Drik nash rizt." He replied harshly. He pointed into the trees. "Graak ash porsh."

The warrior nodded and shouted a command to his men. Two of them came forward and grabbed Kai and Zane roughly, but did not bind them. They were simply guided by the arms in the center of the procession back to the Bounty.

Kai grumbled under his breath and allowed himself to be pulled along at the fast walk. "You want to do any of that explaining now, Sir Cole?" He asked after several minutes of walking.

"No," Cole replied immediately. "As I said earlier, as soon as we are situated at the Black Bounty. Understand?" He threw Kai a dark stare.

Kai returned the stare, all too aware of the fact that they seemed to have made a game of exchanging those looks.

* * *

Kaytake and Jay approached the castle gates with their two guards right as the sun was beginning to touch the mountains, basking everything in a warm orange glow.

"What do you want me to do when we get inside, sir?" Jay asked. He shifted uncomfortably in his saddle. This was the longest he had ever been on a horse in his life.

Kaytake walked over the bridge and was waved forward without a word by the imperial guards, who recognized him immediately. "Just stay close to me, Walker." He gave Jay a short smile. "And be quiet, please. Quiet, respectful, allowing those in power to speak first."

Jay bowed his head and returned the smile. "Yes, sir. I can do that."

"Good." Kaytake turned to one of the guards, of whom wore green cloaks, and black tunics and pants, tucked into boots that came up to the knee. He pointed at Jay and said, "he's with me. Not a threat."

The guard immediately bowed at the waist and waved them through the gate. They were met on the other side by an escort who grabbed their reins so they could dismount.

Kaytake leapt from the saddle with ease, and stretched his legs with a sigh of relief. He looked up at Jay and chuckled. "Having trouble?" He asked.

Jay nodded. "I'm not really the greatest horseman, sir." He said with a sheepish smile. "I can hardly move my legs."

Kaytake laughed, as if his prisoner had just told a joke. He helped Jay take his foot out of the stirrup. "Swing your leg over, Jay." He said. "Hold on to the horn, lean into the seat of the saddle, take your other foot out, and slide down to the ground."

Jay did as he was told, shaking his other foot out of the saddle and sliding awkwardly down to the ground. He of out a short yelp of pain when his heels dug into the ground, making a shooting pain go up his leg. He masked it immediately with a smile and walked forward. "Thanks." He said.

Kaytake chuckled again and slapped the man's back. "We will be working on that dismount, Walker." He waved once to his guards, who had also dismounted. "Go and get drinks, rest for a few hours while you can." The two red cloaked guards bowed at the waist and followed the horses to the stable, talking to the escorts as if they were old friends.

Kaytake put a hand on Jay's shoulder, making the man flinch momentarily. "Let's go and talk to the Garmadons." He said.

Jay nodded and followed his lord up to the magnificent stone steps to the front doors. The two guards that stood at attention opened the doors, then shut them once they were through.

Kaytake let go of Jay's shoulder and walked up to a sentinel. "When is the meeting?" He asked.

The guard saluted. "Less than an hour, my lord." He waved with a gloved hand down the hall. "Lord Julien is in there already. Food has been laid out already." He cast a glance in Jay's direction and hesitated. "Is that Walker?" His hand hovered over the hilt of his sword.

Kaytake waved the man off. "Yes it is, Colton. He's with me. I am taking him to Julien."

"Unbound?" The guard named Colton said, gesturing to Jays hands, which were crossed casually over his chest.

"Mind your own," Kaytake said tersely. "He's with me, and that's all you need to know."

"Of course, sir." Colton said quickly. "My apologies."

Kaytake did not bother with a reply. He gestured to Jay, and the young man immediately uncrossed his arms and followed a few feet behind the Southern lord.

A man dressed in a green shirt and black pants suddenly leapt from the shadows and drew a sword.

Kaytake drew his sword and engaged the blond man in a fight without hesitation. "Good evening, sir." He said cooly, leaping from foot to foot, using a series of harmless combinations to push his opponent back.

The man's green eyes were alight with excitement and humor as he expertly dodged each blow, taking two steps forward. "Good evening, my lord." He said with a grin. "What do you think?" He suddenly leapt into a graceful attack, weaving his sword in and out so fast that Jay had a hard time figuring out which blade was which.

The young man got Kaytake's sword in a lock at the hilt and pulled it out of the elder's hand. The blade went spinning across the floor, and they both smiled at each other and shook hands.

"Well done, Lloyd." Kaytake praised. "Much better than the last time. Although," he winked once in Jay's direction. "I _was_ easing up just a bit."

Lloyd snorted and grabbed the sword from the floor. He gave it to Kaytake with a wide, one sided grin that bunched his left cheek. "Sure you were." He said in a condescending tone. He brushed a lock of his long blond hair out if his eyes. His blond hair went in neat waves down to his shoulders. "Where's Pixal?" He asked. "Don't tell me you actually beat her here." He nodded at Jay. "She wants him in the dungeon, you know."

Kaytake nodded. "I know, Lloyd." He frowned deeply. "But Pixal is not coming."

Lloyd raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Kaytake sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "Where is Julien?" He asked. "I need to tell him too, you know."

Lloyd nodded and spun on his heel, looking a little pale. He waved them forward. "Follow me, sir."

* * *

Zane, Kai and Pixal were led to their cell, and Sir Cole waved his men off with a quick word in their language. He turned back to his three prisoners with a thoughtful, distant look. "Is there a way to turn off your robotic powers, Zane?" He asked after a minute.

Zane shook his head. "No, sir." He said quickly.

Cole stared at him for a long moment, then let a chuckle break through his teeth. "Liar," he said, shaking his head. He turned to Pixal and jerked the rope, which he still held in his hand. She to the floor with a short cry of alarm.

The Dark Knight drew his sword and held it to her neck. "What do you think I needed her for, you fool?" He growled. "She is your liability."

Zane and Kai looked at Pixal with alarm. All the rage in her eyes gave way to panic as she stared at her brother pleadingly. Her chest moved up and down in short heaves.

Cole nodded. "Good," he said slowly. "I see my point is getting across." His green eyes bored into Zane's bluish grey orbs. "How do you turn off your special abilities?" He sensed his prisoner's doubt and shouted. "Do you think _I_ would hesitate to kill her?"

"Okay," Zane nodded quickly. He shed his cloak and pulled his shirt over his head. "Here's how you do it."

"No, Zane." Pixal said frantically. "Just run him through. He'll never-"

Cole's sword pressed so hard she was forced to stop her sentence. He glared at her. "Be quiet, you wench." He looked up at Zane with mild curiosity. The man had opened up a panel on his chest, and was pressing buttons with quick, sure fingers that had obviously done it a hundred times before.

Zane looked up at Cole and nodded as he shut his panel again. "Done." He said in a strained voice as he looked at his sister. "Anything else?"

Cole nodded at the girl. "Does she have those powers as well?"

Zane shook his head. "No, she doesn't." He quickly pulled his shirt over his head again. "I programmed her to have superior skills with every weapon type out there instead of _being_ a weapon. I believe it is better than-"

"Okay, I get it!" Cole growled, sensing that his prisoner was about to get way off subject. He released the sword's pressure at her neck and turned her over roughly. He cut her bonds with one swing of his sword and put it away. "If you dare even touch your panel without my consent, I will run the brat though."

Zane's face drained of color, and he swallowed. "Yes sir," he said quickly.

"Excellent," Cole nodded and gestured to the door. "Follow me, you two men." He said curtly, walking back in the direction he had come. "The wench stays here."

He turned around at the door and saw that Zane was helping Pixal to her feet. Kai was ignoring the Nindroids, and was walking straight for the door.

Zane followed after whispering something inaudible in his sister's ear, and Cole locked the door. He turned to a stone warrior who was walking by right then, and shouted for it to get the ship in the air. The warrior bowed once and was up the stairs in a blink. The three men followed at a more casual pace.

Cole's sharp, harsh demeanor seemed to melt away as they mounted the steps. He began speaking in a casual manner, as if to old buddies. "Feel free to roam about the ship at your own leisure," he said, waving his hand around the deck. "Unless I ask you to do something. You are here as slaves, at least until we get to the Dark Island. You do as I tell you, but I most likely won't need you. I have enough other men to do the hard work."

Zane cleared his throat and spoke. "What about Pixal?" He asked respectfully.

"She stays in the cell." Cole said immediately. "If you want to see her, come to me, and I will let you in for a few minutes at a time for visits, but only if I'm in a good mood." He chuckled as they entered the dining area. "Circumstances being as they are, I will probably be too dangerous to approach the entire time we are over the water."

He reached onto a shelf and grabbed a bottle and three large glasses. He sat down and popped the cork on the green tinted bottle. He held it up and nodded to Kai and Zane. "Care for a drink before we get started?"

Kai shook his head. "But I would appreciate some food. It's been almost an entire day, you know."

To his surprise, Cole simply nodded. The man seemed more concerned with filling his own cup to shoot back a comment along the lines of 'you had your chance yesterday,' or 'go cook it yourself, weakling.'

Cole took a sip of his cup and looked at Kai curiously. "You sure?" His voice seemed almost polite. "It's an excellent batch, made in the Middle Realm during one of its best years."

Zane held up his cup. "I'll try a few sips, sir."

"Cole," the Dark Knight replied. "Just call me Cole." He tipped the bottle and poured a little into the bottom of the Northern nobleman's cup. "Is that enough?"

Zane nodded and took a sip. "Thank you, _Cole_."

Kai rolled his eyes, quickly becoming impatient with these two men. "So..." He gestured with his hand, and the two men turned their heads to face him. "What was the point of the past few hours?" He asked. "Why pretend to be on our side, only to recapture us again?"

Cole chuckled low in his throat, as if there was something funny in what Kai had just said. "It was all a test, Kai." He gave Kai an impatient look, clearly stating that he thought he had better things to do with his time than explain things that were _clearly_ beyond their comprehension. "I wanted to see how you two worked in the field, so to speak."

Kai raised an eyebrow, no less impatient than before. "So what did you learn?"

Cole chuckled, as if he found something funny in Kai's words. "I learned many things, prisoner," he said, gesturing to Zane. "For instance, I learned that he has special abilities. Abilities that, if I had not found out, could have been used against me." He took another long drink of the brownish liquid in the glass. "And you, Kai, are a little more tricky." He sighed and put the cup down with a loud thud. "You don't really have..._special _abilities, like Zane, but I learned many things about your personality. I learned many of your weaknesses, and a few of your strengths."

"I must say," Zane said, taking a small sip of his drink. "It was a clever plan. Well done, my friend. Kai is a mystery indeed. Are you saying that you figured him out?"

Cole gave a nod and a shrug at once. "Yes, I have learned a great deal about the two of you. But no, the test did not exactly give me all of your secrets."

Zane put a hand on Cole's shoulder and nodded slowly. "It was a clever plan, my friend." He said with a smile.

Cole slapped Zane's hand away with a short, surprised yelp. "Keep clear, prisoner." He shifted down the bench, away from the mildly startled nobleman. He cleared his throat and rubbed his forehead momentarily before letting out a long, drawn out sigh. "Sorry," he said quietly. "I'm just a-"

"A little on edge?" Zane raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you've already said that." He tapped his empty cup on the table to a beat in his head. "That excuse isn't going to last much longer, you know."

Cole glared at him. "I say you don't have any urges to make me talk of my behavior. And I also say that you don't care what my habits are, because your captor won't always be in the amiable mood he's in right now." He took a knife out of his belt and began to cut up the bottle cork into tiny pieces.

* * *

Lloyd opened the conference room door and walked inside, nodding once to Lord Julien, who sat at the table. "Here they are, sirs." He looked back at Kaytake and Jay. "We have food laid out for you three, please make yourselves at home."

Kaytake nodded and followed Lloyd through the door. "Thank you," he said with a distracted smile. "It's been a while since our last meal."

The prince nodded and backed out of the room. "I will tell my parents that everyone is here."

Jay followed Kaytake to the table and sat down quietly.

"Don't talk so much, Jay." Kaytake teased as he filled his plate with a variety of cold meats and fruit. "I can hardly hear myself think."

Jay chortled and followed his master's example. "Well, you told me to stay quiet," he reasoned. He cast a furtive glance in Julien's direction, avoiding eye contact.

Lord Julien looked at Kaytake and nodded politely. "Good evening, my friend." He said.

Kaytake nodded back. "Good evening." His voice was hesitant.

The grey haired, spectacled man squinted at the younger lord. "Pixal isn't coming, is she?" His deep grey eyes were alight with worry.

Kaytake shook his head and set down his fork. "I'm sorry, Julien." He said.

Garmadon entered the room right then, interrupting the conversation. He walked with long, purposeful strides and a hard look in his eyes. Lloyd and an elderly woman walked in behind him, both wearing slightly less bold expressions.

Unlike many would expect, King Garmadon almost never wore formal attire. Unless a situation demanded it, he dressed like those in the lower classes. Plain colored tunic, black pants, and worn brown boots. Today's color was purple, and a sword hung at his hip, partially obscured by his green cloak. "Good evening," he nodded at Kaytake and sat down at the table. Lloyd and Misako sat on either side of him.

He folded his hands on the table and sighed. "I want to start off the meeting by letting you both know how sorry I am about your children." His green eyes drifted between the faces around the table and his own family. "The Dark Knight is becoming too bold. He is taking away our greatest treasures now, instead of simple winery raids and kidnappings."

He let his words settle in the silence before stirring up the dust again. "Kaytake, I see you have Walker with you." His eyes locked on Jay's handsome face, and they regarded each other casually for a long moment before he spoke again. "Why did you bring him in to this highly confidential meeting?"

Kaytake put an arm on Jay's shoulder. "I have some suspicions that I felt would go along with what we were going to talk about tonight."

Misako gave him a knowing smile and spoke for the first time. "And what would those suspicions be, Kaytake?"

The Southern nobleman sighed and dropped his hands to the table. "I think he may be one of the chosen." His words drew a collective gasp from the room. He held up a hand, stopping the flow of questions before it could begin. "I may be wrong, sir." He said quickly. "He just has that aura. I can feel something different when I look into his eyes."

Jay's mouth opened wide, and he dropped the fork he had been holding in his hand. "Me?" He stuttered. "B-but sir, I am a peasant. A thief, who has stolen millions of dollars worth of your treasure and sold it overseas!" The words came out before they could stop them. "Look, I don't know what you're trying to pull me into here, but I don't deserve your trust."

Misako stood and walked over to him, smiling kindly through spectacled eyes. She walked right up to Jay and pulled him to his feet. She examined him head to foot for a long moment, and stared into his wide eyes for even longer. "Everyone knows that you have exceptional swordsmanship skills, Walker." She reasoned. "I can see that you are by no means perfect. You are not my first choice in a mentor for my son, but that choice has never been mine to make."

Jay stared at her in confusion. "Who's choice was it, then? If it wasn't yours, I mean."

Misako put a hand on his chest and smiled kindly. "Don't use past tense in that question, Jay." She said. "The choice has not been made yet."

Jay felt a strong urge to step backwards, but resisted it firmly. "Then...who's choice _is_ it?"

Garmadon got to his feet and went to his wife's side. "It is _your_ choice, Jay." He smiled. "Would you like to become a knight, and-"

"No!" Jay said suddenly, leaping backward and tripping over his seat. He fell to the floor and got to his feet again quickly. He looked at the king and queen with shock. "I-I mean, thank you for the offer, but no." He rubbed the back of his leg, which had received the brunt of the pain from his fall. "Find someone more qualified. Like I said, I don't deserve your trust."

Misako and Garmadon exchanged looks in the way only a good couple could, and turned to face him again. "Jay Walker," Garmadon said. "Your hesitation only makes me more confident that you are the one." He held out a hand to Jay. "Do you want to earn our trust?" He asked. "The first step in us trusting you is knowing that you trust our judgement."

Jay stared at the hand for a long moment, stuck between a frown and a grin.

But in the end, he did neither. He grabbed the hand hesitantly, and gave a short nod. "If it's what you want, my king." He said, shaking it firmly, gaining confidence, but firmly telling himself to show no emotion.

Garmadon nodded and squeezed back. "If it is what _you _want, Walker."

* * *

**I feel like talking a bit about a problem I've been seeing all to often on this site. It is, in ways, a problem I have helped fuel for the past few months. ****It is the problem of Kai's personality. ****Call me crazy, but I think we all have him completely wrong. Take a moment and think of three words that you think sum up his personality. Most of you will most likely say something along the lines of 'anger' or 'rage.' ****I know, I have done it myself on more than one ****occasion, but in most cases, it's not right. He is not a rage monster.**

**Now for the next question. Who do you think does the most shouting, yelling, etc in the TV show? **

**Jay! Yes, people. Jay is actually the one with the anger problem. Think of him as a gun. One bad event will set him off, causing major damage. A character trait that makes itself evident in more than one circumstance. One good example would be when they are all on the Dark Island, and Nya has just been captured by the stone warriors. Cole said, 'it's just the way the cookie crumbles.' ****Who gets angry?**

**Jay. The Mouth of Lightning is busy pummeling his team leader into the sand while Kai does...what? Kai is in the background, looking upset, but not really the rage monster we've turned him into. **

**Now Kai seems to be more of a bubbling cauldron. He sort of steeps in a stew of his own making, letting things build up. And over time, he boils over, but quickly gains control again. An angry word, a curse under his breath, perhaps, and he is back on his feet again, and under control. **

**A good example of this would be in that episode where the monastery burns. Who was the first to start shouting? Kai. ****BUT. ****Who was the first to apologize? Kai, of course. Kai is a loyal, excellent friend who, granted, has a bit of an anger issue, but know how to control it better than we give him credit for.**

**It's been a while since I watched this episodes, so I may be wrong. I just wanted to throw my opinion out there. ****Okay, I've said my piece. Now...umm...huh. I'm drawing a blank. Oh, I know.**

**Please leave a comment! (Cliche...)**

**No? Okay...how do you guys like Jay's personality? I am doing my best. So far, in this book, I think I can say that Jay is my favorite character. He is naturally an empathetic, enthusiastic person, but he know how to put a leash on it, unless he's put under sudden stress. **

**Oh! And one more thing! The story _Nya's Journey To Where She Is Today 2 _Is NOT over! I got a review from someone asking if that was the last chapter, and...wow, I am pretty sure I did say that you guys were going to get a wedding, right? And twins? And a bazillion other things on the side. Of course I am finishing it, you guys! Next up is, by the way, the wedding. Check my page for updates on the stories. **

**See you Tuesday! **


	8. Subduction

**Oh, fudge. I just watched episode 29 of Ninjago! It was in Korean, so if you want to know what was going on,**** go to my profile and read my complete commentary. It is now my favorite episode. It was emotionally intense to the point that I was shouting at the screen. That scene where Nya had to choose between the black and the blue wires...oh, fudge. I never swear, but that scene had me cussing. Lego is doing an amazing job.**

**And yeah, the name for this chapter is a bit more poetic than the others...will I be the only one who sees how it fits? I hope not. **

**Anyways, I want to say that I'm sorry for how confusing Pixal is. I should have done a better job with her personality in that first chapter, because it may seem like you're reading about an entirely different character. **

**And just a warning, there's going to be a few more things like in the last chapter, in relation to drugs and abuse. But I kept it so that it will most likely go over the heads of those who aren't already familiar with the subjects in question. Please tell me if you think I should up the story rating to an M, but this will probably be as bad as it will get. Everything from here on out will be less mature, and more like the first few chapters. ****  
**

* * *

(Yeah, I know I'm picking and choosing lines from the song. Using everything would have gotten too long.)

_I tell myself that I can do better  
Someday I'm gonna get it all together  
Who am I fooling  
I am weak and prone to be  
The me that I will always be  
So what's left to do but surrender  
_

_Love the heart, the part of me  
That desperately needs a remedy_

**_-Colton Dixon, Love Has Come For Me_**

* * *

**_Subduction _**

* * *

Cole sat at the table in the dining room alone, after becoming impatient with his prisoners and their questions. He had shoed them from the room with a few curses, and they had left immediately.

He would admit that he was a little bit lonely. Zane was the closest thing he'd had to a friend since before he had been captured and taken to the Dark Island.

Then again, there was that one guy in the Northern realm...

Cole tapped his fingers on the table, trying to remember the guy's name. _I wonder if I killed him, _he thought absently._ Cyrus Borg, I think._ He nodded to himself. _A rotten traitor, if ever there was one. And no, he got away._

Cole took another long swig and slammed the cup down on the table, suddenly feeling a little angry. He was glad that his prisoners had left, because he was not sure that they would have made it out of the room without a few injuries, had they stayed another minute.

He looked at his knife, which sat upright on the table, its sharp edge jammed into the wood a good inch. That had happened a few minutes ago, when he had restrained himself from throwing the blade into Kai's neck. He let out another low growl and wrapped his hand around the handle of the knife. That pig had to learn some respect. He'd better, because if he didn't, someone would die. Not only Kai, but himself as well. He had been told to get the two noblemen to his master _alive_. Disobedience was punishable by death. And that was if the Overlord was in a good mood. On most days, all that the disobedient could hope for was a death with all of his limbs still attached to his body.

He should know. He had overseen countless executions done in this manner.

Cole shuddered and took another sip of the drink, relishing in the feeling it gave him as it burned down his throat. He never drank enough to get himself drunk, of course. He drank just enough to calm his frayed nerves, and no more. He_ numbed_ the pain with drink, he did not necessarily _escape_ it. Only the weak used drink to escape reality. The strong used it as a fuel, of sorts, helping them through the valley of death, not around it.

He looked up and saw a stone warrior approaching. He shouted to it in the one language that the beasts understood. None of them wanted to learn a language that was cleaner than themselves. Trying to teach a stone warrior Ninjago's mother language was like trying to teach a pig how to bathe. The filthy beast did not want to be taught to clean itself, so why bother?

The same went for the stone warriors. The language most used in Ninjago was too clean for them. Instead, they used a foul, uncouth tongue the lord of evil himself had created.

So Cole learned their foul language, and gave up on even trying to use his dialect. Like all of the strong in this part of the world, he adapted. He rarely ever spoke in the beautiful, clean tongue of others in Ninjago, because no one spoke it where he now lived, with the exception of the few slaves. But even they were expected to learn and speak the Dark Tongue, and use it around their headmasters. Namely himself, Kozu, and the Overlord.

"Jark shakk tright," Cole growled to to the warrior. He threw his knife in the man's direction, purposefully clipping the brute's nose. He shouted for the lazy man to get the ship moving. They had a schedule to adhere to, for goodness sakes.

The man bowed quickly and scurried from the room with a quick "yes sir" in its terrible language.

Cole stood up with a grunt and staggered over to where the knife had lodged in the wall. He grabbed it and jerked it out of the wall as if it were a toothpick in a sandwich. He twirled it in his fingers and sat down once again at his spot at the bench.

He put the knife in his sheath and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger as he shoved his empty cup across the table. He had downed one glass too many, and was going to most certainly pay for it later.

* * *

"Welcome to the team," Garmadon said with a smile.

Jay returned the grin cordially, not wanting to come across as unfeeling. "Thank you, your majesty." He said, ignoring the doubts in his mind. "I hope I can serve you as well as you seem to think I can."

The king had a sparkle in his eyes that Jay could not discern as he let go of the thief's hand and turned to Kaytake. "Well done, my friend," he said with a laugh. "Now we can begin."

"Begin what?" Julien asked as he rose slowly to his feet. "The meeting? I would like to get my children back, you know."

Garmadon held up a hand, seemingly unconcerned. "Patience, my friend. One thing at a time."

Misako unstrapped a scroll bag from her shoulder and undid the top. "I have a scroll here..." She said thoughtfully. The contents spilled out onto the table. "It's somewhere, I know it is."

Kaytake leaned over the table and looked at her work. "Did you find the location of the temple?" He asked.

"No," Misako shook her head, not looking up from her pile. "I do not have that yet."

"Then what?" Julien asked as he came up beside Jay.

Misako finally found what she was looking for, and she gave it to Jay. "This," she said. "It is a prophesy."

Jay took it hesitantly from her hand and read out loud. "The four knights must find the key to their hearts in order to assist the Green Knight in defeating the Overlord?" He set it down on the table and raised an eyebrow. "I feel like there's something I'm missing, your majesty."

Misako room the scroll and rolled it up quickly. "I don't understand it either, Walker." She said in her rich voice. "I trust that it will, in time, make sense to you." She handed the scroll back to Jay. "Take it with you, and show it to the others when you get to the Dark Island."

Jay's eyes bulged. "Hey, whoa there," he took an instinctive step backwards. "Now I appreciate being granted immunity and all that, but this is a little fast." He chuckled nervously. "I'll do it, it's just a little bit..." He played with his fingers, trying to find the word.

"Short notice?" Garmadon offered. "I know, Jay. You won't be going today, we have another job for you and Lloyd."

Jay could hardly hide the look of relief on his face as he nodded and took a deep breath. "So what is our first task, sir?" He glanced at Lloyd momentarily before looking down at his feet.

Misako lifted his chin with a warm smile. "You don't have to act like that, Jay." She said. "I may have more authority than you, but I say we can be friends. Be humble, but not downright servile."

Jay wanted to ask her what the word 'servile' meant, but decided against it. He got the main message. "Yes, Misako." He said with a nod, breaking his chin away from her hand.

Garmadon sat down at the table, and motioned for the others to follow his example. "Now that we have all four knights," he said, clasping his hands under his chin. "We can-"

"Hold it," Kaytake interrupted, holding up a hand for silence. "We only have three knights, my king." He said. "Forgive me for sounding so blatant, but we still need the black one."

Garmadon exchanged a glance with his wife and pursed his lips. "I'm sorry, my friend." He said as he reached for a grape. "I should have told you. My brother found him already."

"Wu?" Julien spoke up. "When did this happen?"

Garmadon shrugged and rolled the fruit between his thumb and forefinger. "He contacted me a few months back, and told us that he had found the Black Knight."

Kaytake leaned in and furrowed his brows. "Where is he?" He asked. "We must bring him here immediately, if he is not in Wu's jurisdiction." He cleared his throat. "I mean, is he on the Dark Island with your brother, or is he here?"

Garmadon chuckled. "Neither," he said vaguely, popping the grape into his mouth. He obviously found their confusion humorous. "As a matter of fact, if all the rumors I hear are true, he is with your sons at this moment on his ship."

He held up his hands, stopping Kaytake before the onslaught of questions could begin. "I know, it seems far fetched," he said. "You were probably wondering why I seemed so unconcerned about your children and their plight. Now you know why."

Kaytake blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of what the king had just said. "Surely you jest." He got to his feet slowly and stared at Garmadon with wide eyes. "Of all the people your brother could have chosen, it had to be _him?"_

Misako nodded patiently and played with a jade ring on her middle finger. "What makes Cole any different than Jay?" She asked cooly. "If he has been chosen, it is out of our control."

Kaytake fumbled for an answer, but couldn't find his tongue, as it seemed to have been shoved down his throat.

Jay had been silent until now, watching patiently from the sidelines. But now, he got to his feet slowly and cleared his throat, making everyone turn to him. "I...I agree with Kaytake." He said in a voice that he had to fight to keep from squeaking. "With all due respect, I think you all trust too easily. Sir Cole took away the two heirs to the Northern and Southern realms, and lady Pixal. To think that he would suddenly be all peaceable with you and join us suggests naivety." He cleared his throat and sat down, wondering what on earth had just possessed him to say such things. "Of course, that's just my opinion." He said quickly.

Garmadon seemed unfazed by what Jay had said. Julien and Lloyd, on the other hand, seemed to explode with questions.

"Pixal was captured?"

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"When did it happen?"

Jay wished that he could shrink into ball and disappear in between the cushions of his seat. His face turned red, and he stared at his feet in embarrassment. Here he was, not fifteen minutes after being told to hold his tongue, and he was causing more trouble than he knew what to do with.

Garmadon held up his arms and called for silence. "I know, that was a bit uncalled for," he gave Jay a reprimanding look. "But there's no need for all that shouting. What is done is done, so please just sit down and act your age." He shot Lloyd a hard stare, and the young man immediately sat back in his seat and shut his mouth.

Kaytake set a hand on Jay's shoulder and smiled congenially. "I think we need to get to the point of this meeting, so you can get your assignment. If you're anything like me, you need to get to the bottom of a problem immediately and dig out a solution. You're aching for something to do right now, aren't you?"

Jay stared at him for a long moment before nodding. "Yes sir," he said. "You've hit it right on the target."

The Southern lord chuckled and patted Jay's shoulder. "There you have it," he said. "Let's get to work."

* * *

Zane and Kai flew down the steps and stopped at Pixal's door. The Nindroid hesitated only a moment before knocking. "Sister?" He pressed his mouth to the cracks in the wood and spoke. "Are you in there?"

"Where else would I be?" Her voice was muffled. "Go away, Zane. I'm trying to contact father."

Zane's eyes grew round, and he pressed his hands to the door. "No, Pixal!" He hissed. "Please don't. I didn't save you from Cole just to have you turn around abuse that power."

There was silence for a long moment, them Pixal spoke up again. "And since when have you been on the enemy's side?" She snapped. "I'll do as I please. There's no harm in trying."

Zane's head whirled around wildly for a moment as he checked to make sure no one besides Kai was listening. "I've already covered too much for you, sister." He whispered, once again pressing his mouth to the crack. "You do realize that if Cole finds out, he will kill you."

"So?" Pixal's voice was sharp. "Go away."

"Make me," Zane growled. "I'm not kidding, Pixal. Listen to me and don't try anything. He'll find you out. Sir Cole does not take violation of orders lightly."

"Zane," Pixal's voice was harsh, but he could tell that her resolve was breaking. "Why should I listen to you?"

Zane slowly sunk to his knees, a look of desperation on his pale face. "Because I am your brother, Pixal." He said softly. "Will you please just trust me? You need to cut off all communication with father. We cannot risk it."

There was silence for a long minute before Zane heard Pixal sigh and mumble something under her breath. She spoke in a more audible tone. "Okay, Zane. I'm sorry, I'll turn it off."

Zane closed his eyes and let out a relieved breath. "Thank you," he said, leaning his head against the door. "Good girl." He had programmed her. He knew how to get around her stubborn behavior and get sense into her thick, boar-headed brain.

Kai sat down next to Zane, shivering slightly as he observed his companion.

Zane opened his eyes slowly after a long moment. "Is it done?" He asked in a hoarse whisper. "I know it was risky, lying to Cole about your powers. But I did not want him messing with your chest panel."

A soft rustling noises told Zane that she was positioning herself with her back against the door, so they could talk. "Thank you, Zane," she said. "I know that was a huge risk. But I appreciate it."

Zane smiled and shifted his weight, so he could be more comfortable. "That's what big brothers do."

He was silent for a few moments before speaking again. "How are you doing, sis?" His voice rose in pitch a bit, suggesting that he was done with the secrecy, and now had nothing to fear, should Cole overhear their conversation.

"How do you think I'm doing, Zane?" Pixal asked. "I'm scared."

Zane frowned slightly. "Stay strong, sister." He said, putting his hand against the door. "We'll get out of this, okay?"

"How do you know?" Pixal's voice was steadily rising in volume, and was wavering slightly. "What makes you think that any of us will live through this?"

Zane heard her sniffling, and it nearly broke is heart. He made gentle hushing sounds, and made longing glances in the direction of the dead bolt on the door. "Hey, please don't cry," he whispered. "You can stay strong. That's what Cole admires more than anything, you know. If you can get him to respect you, he may let you live."

"Let me live?" Pixal was on the verge of tears, that much was certain. "Live how, Zane? As a slave? A harlot?" Her words cut into his heart. "That's not living, Zane. That is death at its worst."

A silent tear fell down Zane's cheek, and he turned his face from Kai, so he could not see it. He pulled his hood over his face and hugged his knees to his chest. He knew she was right. In some ways, death would be so much better than what they had ahead of them. "Don't lose hope, sister." He managed to whisper. "Hope is our greatest strength right now."

The sniffling grew more frequent, and he knew that she was crying now. Of course, that was to be expected. Pixal was an impulsive, headstrong girl who had little control over her emotions. He was not surprised by the fact that she was having a swing now.

Zane wiped his face on his sleeve and forced his tears back. There were very few things that could make him cry. Being able to hear his sister crying, and being unable to come to her rescue, that was one of those few things that could spring a leak in his eyes. He let out a shaky sigh as he whispered, "I love you, sister," to his tucked in knees.

Pixal only allowed a short moment to pass before answering. "I love you too, Zane."

Kai closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, trying to make sense of what he had just heard. So Pixal [was] like her brother. She had built in weapons, but Zane had kept Cole from making her turn them off...why? Her brother had just asked her to turn them off right now, so he obviously didn't want her to fight or escape.

The answer came immediately. She was a girl, and Zane was protecting her innocence. A panel on the chest could be quite revealing. He did not want anyone in the room while she flipped the switches.

Kai sighed deeply spoke. "I think we should get a meal started." He opened his eyes. He knew it had been a day since his last meal, but he couldn't seem to find his appetite.

Zane quickly composed himself and nodded, pulling his hood back down. "Yes, I think you're right." He got to his feet and helped Kai up. He looked back at the door and stared at it for a long moment before speaking. "We'll be back, Pixal." He said.

"O-okay, Zane." Her voice sounded out a moment later.

Zane turned and walked back up the steps to the dining room. He opened the door tentatively and gestured for Kai to stay put while he went in and talked to Cole. He shut the door between him and Kai, then walked over to the table where Cole sat, staring blankly at the wall with glazed eyes.

"Cole?" Zane said tentatively, restraining himself from touching the man's shoulder. "Would you like it if we prepared something to eat?"

Cole blinked and shifted his weigh on the seat slightly. He shrugged and let out a sigh. "Go ahead," he said shortly, not looking in Zane's direction. His voice was a little bit sluggish and nasal. "Do whatever you want. Just stay away from my men. They won't hesitate to play nasty games with you."

Zane nodded and went for the door. He opened it and let Kai through. "Thank you, sir." He said respectfully. He opened the kitchen door and walked in.

Kai followed quickly, casting quick glances in Cole's direction as he walked into the man's field of vision, then out of it again. He shut the kitchen door behind him and raised an eyebrow at Zane. "What was that about?" He asked quietly. "Cole looks a little bit..."

Zane shrugged and started opening cupboards. The Dark Knight was a tidy man. Everything in the kitchen was spotless, and it seemed that every can, every jar, and every plate had its own spot in each cupboard. He decided that he would have to work hard to make sure everything was just as he left it, because Cole would most likely have a fit if he found it dirty.

He selected a few cans of beans, and one can of some sort of red meat. "Are there any greens, Kai?" He asked. "I would like something fresh with the meal."

Kai opened a few barrels and an icebox. "Plenty of fruit," he said with a shrug. "Mostly apples and limes. How weird."

Zane shook his head. "They preserve better than most other fresh fruits," he said. "Cole is not the kind of person who you would find with a crate of bananas. We both know how quickly they can go bad."

Kai nodded and slapped a barrel lid into place with his hands. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He looked into a crate of apples hungrily. "Do you think he would mind if we ate some of this stuff?"

Zane shook his head. "I don't think so. He seems to not care what we do." He grabbed a knife and a small plate. "Hand me a few limes and apples, please."

Kai tossed them across the room, and Zane caught them in his palm with ease. He cut them with quick, concise thrusts with the knife and set them neatly on the plate. "Can you bring this to Cole?" He picked up the plate and held it out to Kai.

"Nope," Kai said with a rebellious grin as he took a bite of an apple and leaned against the counter. "You can go nurse your best friend, I'll stay here. I'm not in the mood to fight with two hundred and fifty pounds of muscle."

Zane rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "You don't have to be rude about it," he said with a slight grin. "You can rinse the beans."

Kai shrugged and walked over to Zane's pile of ingredients. "I can do that."

Zane snorted and pushed the door open. He walked over to where Cole was playing with a knife, and he set the plate of fruit down in front of him. "You want some water?" He asked.

Cole slowly raised his glazed eyes from the knife in his fingers. "Sure," he said in a gruff voice. "But I thought you said you were cooking something." He gestured to the plate.

Zane was glad that Kai had refused to bring the plate out. Cole was just asking for a fight, and Kai would have been all to happy to give him one. The Nindroid gave him a knowing grin and crossed his arms over his chest. "I said I was preparing something to eat." He nodded to the sliced fruit. "The fruit would fall into that category."

Cole gave him a slight grin and grabbed a lime. "Touché, Zane." The malign melted out of his tone. He took a bite out of the lime and seemed unaffected by the sour taste.

Zane turned and walked back toward the kitchen. He looked over his shoulder once and said, "but I am making a bean soup, just so you know." And he walked back into the kitchen without waiting for the cynical reply.

Kai was waiting for him with two cans of open beans and a knowing smile on his face. "There's a reason I didn't want to go out there, you know." He opened the can of meat and started to drain the liquid into the sink.

"Wait," Zane leapt forward and grabbed the can. "That's good broth. We can use it."

"Sorry," Kai backed away and held up his hands in defeat.

Zane shrugged. "We'll live," he said. "It's no big deal." He emptied the contents of the can into a pot and turned it on. "And yes, I do see the wisdom in keeping you two separated as much as possible. He's a little bit..." He tried to find the word. "His nerves are a bit shot from the drink."

Kai snorted. "Which shouldn't surprise us any. I'm just glad that he didn't finish the bottle."

Zane added the beans and several dried herbs into the pot. "He's much too responsible to ever do something like that. He knows his limit, and he stays within his boundaries."

Kai tossed his apple core in the garbage. "And how do you know this?" He asked.

"I can just see it in his eyes," Zane replied with a shrug. "I cannot explain it, Kai. I just know that we can trust him to not drown himself in drink."

Kai rolled his eyes. "Says the man who tries to encourage the guy of people's worst nightmares. Might as well go court the Grim Reaper."

Zane suddenly let out a groan and ran to a cupboard, muttering curses under his breath. "I forgot about his water," he explained to Kai. He filled up the cup and ran out the door again.

He set the cup down in front of Cole. "My apologies," he said quickly.

Cole gave him a flagrant smile. "Too busy gossiping about me to actually get anything done?" He said teasingly.

Zane ran his fingers through his hair with a flustered smile. "Sorry."

Cole rolled his eyes and snorted contemptuously as he took a sip of the water. "Just forget it. I couldn't care less." He nodded to the half full bottle. "You wanna add that to the soup?" He asked. "I cut up the cork, so it needs to get used up before it spoils."

Zane shook his head in mock disapproval. "Shame on you, Cole." He grabbed the bottle and took a whiff. He looked up at Cole and shrugged. "I could use a little bit, but all of it would be too much."

"Bah," Cole got to his feet slowly and waved is hand in a dismissive manner. "I add it to everything. That's what gives my food its kick."

The nobleman set the bottle back down on the table and went back to the door. "I'm sure I can find a cork somewhere," he said.

Cole tossed his knife absently into the far wall and shrugged as the dull thud indicated impact. "You do that, prisoner."

* * *

Garmadon cleared his throat and clasped his hands in front of him on the table. "There are four swords, one for each knight." He gestured to Lloyd and said, "except for you, of course. Your weapons will be explained later."

He looked at Jay and spoke slowly, just to make sure he wouldn't have to repeat it. "Two of the blades are on the Dark Island. The other two are here, in Ninjago. I have the maps in a secure place, and will give them to you before you leave."

Jay nodded slowly. "Got it," he said. "What else?"

Garmadon was pleased to have such an attentive listener. He smiled as he continued his instructions. "Your job is to take those maps to the Dark Island, meet up with Kai, Cole and Zane, and split into two teams. Two of you will come back to Ninjago for the blades hidden here. The other two will stay there and find those swords."

Kaytake cleared his throat and spoke. "That sounds time consuming," he observed. "So far, we must be looking at nearly two weeks of work."

Garmadon regarded him cooly. "In the grand scheme of things, my friend," he said. "Two weeks is a blink. We have bigger problems right now than time blocks."

"Like what?" Kaytake asked.

"Rebellions," Julien said. "Surely you've heard, Kaytake?"

The Southern lord frowned and shook his head. "No, I suppose not. What's been happening up north?"

Lord Julien looked at Garmadon for confirmation before speaking. "It seems that some people feel we are incompetent," he said. "After word started spreading that Zane and Kai were taken, there has been unrest."

Kaytake raised an eyebrow. "Tell them we will take care of it, and not to worry."

Julien rubbed his forehead, as if nursing a headache. "It's not that simple anymore, Kay." He said. "They want us gone. They are demanding a new leader. One who can actually protect them from the threats overseas."

Kaytake's jaw dropped. "We're doing all that we can!" He exclaimed. "Do they not appreciate we have been doing?"

"That's just it, Kaytake." Garmadon said. "You must remember that they don't know what we've been doing. We have been keeping most of our operations a secret, as to not alarm the public."

"Well it isn't working very well," the Southern lord shot back. "I think it's time we cracked down and got the people back under control. They are enjoying this freedom too much."

Garmadon shook his head. "Cracking down will only make the situation worse, Kaytake." He said patiently. "We need to simply get to the heart of the rebellion and take out its leader. That would be our best bet at restoring peace. More laws don't solve problems. Cracking down would be asking for insurgence."

Kaytake took a deep breath in, and let it out slowly. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I was out of line. You are right." He tapped his fingers on the table as he gathered his thoughts. "What is the leader's name?"

"Cyrus," Julien said. "His name is Cyrus Borg. He was one of my best engineers, until the day Zane was captured." He sighed and ran his fingers through his greying hair. "There was pandemonium when Sir Cole came and demanded that I hand over my son. Sometime during the ruckus, he managed to steal a bunch of blueprints, then disappeared."

"If he disappeared," Misako said. "Then how is he irritating the people?"

"I don't know!" Julien exclaimed, his face flushing red. "It's so frustrating. But he has been causing massive amounts of trouble." He smashed a grape between his thumb and the table. "And he does it right under my nose."

Garmadon sighed heavily and looked around the room, at all the faces. "Does anyone have a clue as to his whereabouts?"

Jay cleared his throat. "I-I know a Borg," he said timidly as every eye fell on him. "He's been working in the black market for several years now, sir."

"You know him?" Kaytake asked.

Jay shrugged. "I've made a few deals with the guy, but I don't know him. He mostly sells to Sir Cole. Until recently, they were really close."

Julien rubbed his forehead again. "I am a fool," he moaned. "How did I not see this coming?"

Jay shrugged. "He's incredibly crafty. I've heard that he's actually in charge of the biggest criminal syndicate in Ninjago."

Julien buried his head in his arms on the table and mumbled something under his breath.

"Jay," the Southern lord said with a smile. "That really did not help him feel better at all."

* * *

**Yes, Pixal has a soft side. I feel sort of guilty for introducing her with that terrible side ****first, because she isn't really a killer at heart. She's an average girl with emotional swings. **

**So...yeah...I am introducing a new bad guy! How do you like my Cyrus Borg twist? I'm pretty excited. **

**And please tell me if you feel uncomfortable reading all that stuff about drink...This chapter does contain the worst of it. Everything after this will be a little better, and he will not have this problem for much longer. Yes, Cole will turn good...eventually...**

**So go to my profile and read my review of episode 29 of Ninjago! *Fangirl scream* I loved it. Seriously one of the best episodes ever. **

**Neonfrost: I am going to assume that you are reading this. Thank you so much for your review of Overlord's Revenge. That was truly one of the most encouraging reviews I've ever gotten from someone about my writing ever. I literally started tearing up when I read it. I really wish that I was allowed to PM so I could thank you more properly, but this'll have to do. **

**Please review, constructive criticism appreciated. A special shout-out to all of you who reviewed last week. You guys are the best. **


	9. Disinclination

**Bonus chapter! Yay!**

**I'm almost done with chapter 10, so I decide that I'd give you all this chapter as a special treat. This chapter has about 7,000 words. That holds the record for the longest chapter I've ever written. ****  
**

**EpicMoonBlade: I love your sense of sarcasm concerning my take on the Stone Army's language. I feel that if we were to meet, we would make great friends, because of our mutual passion of abject jokes. Not a lot of people can make sarcasm sound so sincere. And I think the word you were looking for was '****sophisticated,' although that may not be right either. And yes, it is. :) I spent several weeks filling notebooks with random grammar rules, just so the language could sound more like something Tolkien would do. I totally have time for that, you're welcome. **

**MarsTwilight: Yes, I did know about the citrusy fruits, but not the rum. Interesting facts. :) I recently started saving my favorite comments, and yours is one of the few that has made it into my bin. Thank you so much! Reviews like yours are the ones that inspire me to keep writing.  
**

**ReaderOfGoodBook (Guest): Your review was also awesome, and went into my 'saves' bin. Nothing makes me happier than getting reviews like yours. **

**Random fact: We all knew that Lloyd was voiced by a girl, right? Well, her name is Jillian Michaels. And I just learned that she also voices Edna. Weird, right? I will never look at either character in the same way again. That totally ruined my image of Lloyd. **

**And I am seriously running out of words. This idea to only have one-word titles seemed so great a month ago...Ugh. If you must know, the word will fit for both Zane and Nya in this chapter, because of the decisions they will/have made. I seriously need a good plot twist soon, so I can get better words. **

* * *

**Disinclination**

* * *

Jay sat on his horse, wearing a new blue cloak that draped down from his shoulders, and blanketed his horse's rump. Lord Julien had taken Pixal's horse back with him to the Northern realm, and King Garmadon had lent him one of his own mounts, as well as given him the cloak afore mentioned, and a new set of clothing.

They were on their way back to the Southern realm, and Jay could hear the sound of the Dicara River, which made the border between the Middle and Southern realms. They traveled down the wide dirt road that led to the bridge where they would cross, where it then fed its travers to an intersection where they could choose between a few different routes to varying cities in the South.

Normally, the road was crawling with travelers. But since Sir Cole's attacks several days before, the roads became a desolate strip of land, because no one wanted to risk being caught out here by the Dark Knight, who had a reputation of kidnapping and robbing on these roads, whenever he wasn't wreaking havoc on his own island over the sea.

Jay knew better than to believe all the rumors told about Sir Cole concerning these roadside robberies. Many were true, of course. But it was like playing a game of telephone. You hear an account firsthand from the victim, then it gets passed along to the next person. Before long, you've got a story about a phantom black pirate who has an army of a hundred stone giants who can melt your flesh with a single steely stare.

But Jay had met the guy several times. Granted, they weren't exactly friends, or even on remotely good terms. Cole would likely do his best to remove Jay's head from his shoulders if they did ever happen to cross paths again. But Jay could say with honesty that a lot of the rumors the commoners spread about the guy were about as real as the theory about the world being flat.

Jay followed behind Kaytake's horse, and Lloyd went behind the thief. The guards sort of drifted at random, sometimes in the back and other times in the front.

"Are we almost there?" Lloyd asked after they had crossed the bridge.

Assuming that he was talking to Kaytake, the thief stayed quiet, opting to listen to the birdsong. He loved birds, a passion that was partially inspired by his name.

"Jay?" Lloyd called out with a smile in his tone.

Jay instantly slowed his horse and waited for Lloyd to come up next to him before resuming his normal pace. "Yes sir?" He asked.

"Stop that, please." Lloyd said. "Honestly, there's nothing more annoying. You know my name, why don't you use it?"

Jay resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he sighed. "Yes, Lloyd?" He corrected himself with a tiny smile.

"Are we almost there?" The prince asked again. "To the pile of rocks you told us about?"

Jay nodded. "Yeah, it'll only be another minute or so."

Lloyd hummed thoughtfully for a moment. "How do I get you to talk?" He acted like he was thinking out loud, but Jay knew it was a statement;

'You're too quiet.'

He sighed again and shook his head. "Listen, kid." He said with a patient smile. "I can talk when I feel like it. I just don't feel like talking right now." His face brightened a bit. "But I've got a few stories about times I've used my tongue too much, and almost payed for it with my life."

Lloyd saw an opportunity here, and he grabbed it tightly with both hands. "I'd like to hear one," he said.

The blue cloak rippled with Jay's shrug, which was supposed to be nonchalant, but had failed too miserably to pass as such a thing. He was obviously excited to tell his story.

"Okay," he said. "If you insist, I guess I could explain the details." He shifted in his saddle uncomfortably and began. "So I had this gold statue that I had stolen maybe two years ago. I went to a rendezvous point to meet up with this guy, so I could sell it. Of course, I had no idea who the guy was, because we'd only talked 'through the grapevine,' if you get my meaning. So guess what his name was." He looked at Lloyd with a grin. "Go on, guess."

"Me," Lloyd said gruffly, keeping a straight face with close to no difficulty.

Jay gave him a strange look before shaking his head. "No, actually. Have you done black market deals before?"

"Naw," the prince replied with a grin. "Go on, please. I can't guess."

Jay rolled his eyes. "Okay, so the guy's name was Dark Knight. Weird, right? I'd never heard of him before."

"Sir Cole?" Lloyd interrupted, one eyebrow raised incredulously. "You ran into Sir Cole?"

"You don't believe me?" Jay waved a hand in dismissal and grunted. "Eh, I wouldn't believe me either. So anyways, I meet the guy in this secret place that I'm not supposed to tell anyone because that's where most of the criminals go to sell their spoils, and we haggled over the price." He laughed at the memory. "So we got that deal all settled, and he invited me onto his ship for a drink. I, of course, said no. I didn't really care for alcohol, and I didn't trust him. So we stayed on the ground and talked. I asked him what his real name was, because 'Dark Knight' sounded absolutely ridiculous."

Lloyd guffawed. "That couldn't have gone over well," he said.

"No, you think?" Jay exclaimed sarcastically. "Yeah, so he told me that his name was Cole Reddington. I told him he shouldn't trust so easily, 'cause giving full names in our line of work was a little foolish. I had only wanted a first name."

"You make it sound as if you really had no clue about who the guy was," Lloyd remarked. "What's with that? He isn't really an obscure common thief...no offense."

"None taken," Jay replied. "Although I'm not exactly obscure. I'm one of the most well known criminals in the Northerns. And yeah, like I said, this meeting happened a few years ago. This was before he became the most notorious criminal nationwide. I might have been the first person to actually see him. But I'm getting off track here. I said that the name was familiar. Wasn't he a dancer from the Middle realm? Y'know, the one who went missing a few months before? He snapped back that it was none of my business, and told me to go back to my work, because he had something more productive to be doing."

"But you didn't get back to work, did you?" Lloyd guessed.

Jay laughed ruefully. "Nope. Instead, I tried to convince him to go back home." His laugh intensified. "I know, right? Then we got onto this entirely different track, talking about good looks. I told him that he didn't have any. His skin was so pale, and he was so short and twiggy. Don't even get me started on his hair. He got so mad at me that he pinned me to the ground and took out a knife. At first, I thought he would cut my throat out."

"But he didn't?" Lloyd knew it was a stupid question, but he really wanted to interject somehow. He was stoking Jay's flame, and was actually getting the guy to talk. Interjecting seemed like the most effective way to make him talk faster.

"Well yeah, he actually killed me back there," Jay said sarcastically before sitting back in his seat and going straight in the mouth.

He was silent for a long moment before speaking again. "I don't know what happened, actually. He held that knife at my throat for a long moment, as if gathering his resolve, then his eyes suddenly softened, and he ran the knife across my forehead instead, drawing a lot of blood. So much that I passed out afterward." He ran his finger over the pinkish scar, which ran from the middle of his temple in a jagged line down his right eyebrow. "He said that since I was so confident in my good looks, a little scar shouldn't matter to me. The ladies would be too busy looking into my..._dreamy blue eyes_...to notice it. Then he just walked away."

He looked at Lloyd thoughtfully. "I really think that he had intended to kill me, Lloyd." He said. "But something stopped him before he could slit my throat. Cole's green eyes were, at one moment, livid and full of hate. The next moment, he softened his expression to one of extreme anger, instead of intense hate, exercising restraint instead of going for the kill. After running into the guy a few more times after that, I can say that he's changed a lot. He finally filled out, got those muscles, that ridiculous tan..." He trailed off, frowning deeply for a moment. "Look, the point is, I think the guy isn't what we've made him out to be. I don't think that he's acting of his own free will most of the time."

"So you mean that some supernatural force restrained him from killing you?" Lloyd asked.

"No," Jay shook his head. "I mean that he didn't have orders to kill me, so he didn't. He won't kill anyone unless given direct orders, or if the person is posing a threat. I've seen it in the way he handles business with Borg and other men. Cole doesn't bear the mark of a sociopathic psycho killer, but of a man being forced against his will, and hating every second of it."

"Interesting," Kaytake said suddenly. Jay had forgotten that the man was even there. "I think that you will be an asset, Jay. Your knowledge of criminals and their activity may be helpful in the near future." He looked into the woods and pointed into their still semi-dark branches. "We turn here, you two."

They left the trail and rode in silence for a few more minutes. Lloyd was proud of himself, because he'd just made Jay speak more than one polite sentence. It was an accomplishment, to say the least. And the guy was actually sort of funny, once you got him going.

A shimmer on the ground caught Lloyd's attention, and he started riding faster. He reached the sparkling object a moment later, and his heart caught in his throat. He leapt down from his mount and stared at the pile of weapons glistening brightly in the morning light.

He dropped to one knee next to the weapons and stared at them with a sad smile. Pixal and her love of weapons... He could tell that they were hers, because they were all so unique. She had invented many of them herself. Things like the tiny flat disc of steel with six sharp points, which she had learned to throw with uncanny precision, like a dart.

Or the weighted rope, with the knife attached to one end. A perfect weapon for sneaking up behind someone, and throwing the weighted end in such a way that it wrapped around the victim's neck, so she could take a hold of the knife at the other end and slit their throat.

Lloyd picked up the sword, one of the only weapons in the pile that he was truly familiar with. The silver sheath had a vine of small flowers and leaves engraved in it, but was otherwise unadorned. No precious stones or anything like that, because Pixal said that such a thing would draw attention in a battle. You don't want to be the target with the pretty prize.

He stood up with the sword in his hands, recalling the day he had given it to her. It had been on her ninth birthday, just over a year ago.

"What's that?" Jay asked, coming to a stop on his horse right behind the prince. "You like that sword?"

Lloyd shook his head quickly, drawing himself out of the reverie. "No," he said slowly. "I like the person I gave it to."

Jay stiffly dismounted, shifting his weight from one foot to the next after once again slamming his heels into the dirt. A bad habit that would need to stop soon. He walked up to Lloyd with a smile in his face. "You like that ill-tempered android?" He asked.

Lloyd shot him a glare. "You don't know her like I do," he said. "I mean, yeah. Sure, she has sporadic mood swings, but she's usually a really sweet girl, unless provoked." He sighed and stuffed the sword into one of his saddle bags. The hilt stuck out of the top, but he didn't care. "It just takes a little while to figure her out, then she's real nice."

Jay rolled his eyes and got scrambled into the saddle. "Whatever you say," he said. "Alright, you've seen it. They obviously aren't here anymore. You ready to go?"

Lloyd nodded and leapt onto his mount. "Sure thing."

* * *

"Listen," Kai said as he turned off the burner. "I'm sorry, Zane. It was taking forever, and you know that neither of us have eaten in quite a while." He grabbed a serving spoon and got himself a bowl of the brown mess. "How was I supposed to know that turning the burner on high would make it scorch?"

Zane let out a slow, calming breath and grabbed two more bowls. "I'm not angry, Kai." He said slowly. "I was merely pointing out your lack of patience."

Kai gritted his teeth, painfully aware of the fact that his father had told him the same thing on the afternoon of his capture, right after their sword fight. "Yeah, whatever." He said tartly.

Zane filled his two bowls and grabbed spoons. He pushed the door open and examined the dining room. He barely suppressed a chuckle at the sight. Cole and one of the stone warriors were on their hands and knees, scrubbing the floor with rags.

Zane set the bowls down on the table and looked down at Cole. "You need some help?"

Cole jumped in surprise and got to his feet, brushing a few strands of his long black hair out of his face as he swayed unsteadily on his feet. "I was just finishing up," he said gruffly, flicking his wrist. The stone warrior left immediately. "Is something burning?" Cole tossed his rag into a bucket on the floor.

Zane pointed over his shoulder at Kai, who was walking through the door at that moment. "He seems to have a knack for burning things."

Cole nodded in understanding. "This takes the term 'hothead' to a new level," he said with a straight face. "Not only to you scorch your words, but your soup as well. Great job, Kai."

Kai would have been tempted to snort indignantly if Sir Cole hadn't looked so serious when he said it. "Thank you, sir." He said with the same straight face. "I do my best."

Cole nodded. "I'm sure you do, prisoner." He gestured to the table and sat down. "Sit, and I'll explain the rest of the rules while we eat."

They did as the were told, and the Dark Knight began. "The rules are simple. Rule number one would be to keep everything clean." He gestured with an outstretched arm to the ship. "I keep everything spotless, save for the marks on the walls. And yes, you'll find plenty of those. I like to throw knives, and the occasional stone warrior. Especially on stressful days."

Kai opened his mouth to say something, but Zane kicked his leg under the table before the snarky comment could come out.

The Nindroid nodded to Cole and smiled in a friendly manner. "Understood," he said. "What else?"

Cole pointed to a closet next to the kitchen door. "If you make a spill, muddy something up, or find dust on anything, it needs to get cleaned up." He ran his hand through his hair the best he could, but it was too tangled for his fingers to get far. "I have obsessive-compulsive disorder, so I need things clean. It they aren't spotless, I may go into a fit of rage and clean it up myself, but only after beating you. Just a warning." He picked up his spoon and scooped some of the stew into his mouth. "I'm not really myself when things are dirty."

Zane and Kai followed his lead as they waited for more instructions, eating their food quickly.

After finishing their bowls in silence, the blond man spoke up. "You have any more rules, Cole?" He asked.

Cole looked up from his empty bowl and stared at them for a long moment. "Yeah," he said hesitantly, clearing his throat as he looked around the room for a fleeting moment. "Kai, you can leave now."

The Southern nobleman paused for a moment, frowning deeply. "Why?"

Cole growled, reaching his hand into his coat. "You want to play like that, prisoner?"

Zane knew that Cole was reaching for a knife, and that he had to intervene. He stood up and put a hand on Kai's shoulder. "You heard him," he said. "Please leave for a few minutes while I find out what he wants."

Kai brushed his hand away and got to his feet, swiping his bowl off of the table with an angry harrumph. "Fine." He said shortly. "I'll leave you two _best friends_ alone for a few minutes." He said 'best friends' with dry, angry sarcasm. He turned on his heel and walked into the kitchen, slamming the door behind him.

Zane looked back at Cole with a raised eyebrow. "Alright," he said. "What was so important that you couldn't say to both of us?" He sat down across the table from the knight.

Cole leaned across the table, getting so close that Zane could smell the drink on his breath. "Listen closely." He whispered. "I probably shouldn't be saying this. But things are not as they seem." He paused for a moment, to let the statement sink in. "I cannot give you specifics, but things are not as they seem." He was apparently unaware of the fact that he had just repeated himself.

Zane leaned back and nodded slowly. The man was clearly being effected by the drink. "If they aren't what they seem, then what are they?" He asked.

"Keep your voice down!" Cole whispered harshly, reaching across the table for Zane's collar. He grabbed the man's shirt and pulled him close again. "I can't say," he said. "But be prepared. You passed the test. No one," he shook Zane harshly as he spoke in his hushed tone. "No one has ever passed the test before. And I've tried it on a lot of people. Just be prepared." In his fuzzy state of mind, he was repeating his words. "Got it?"

Zane slowly backed up, expertly extricating himself from the man's grip. "Got it," he said. "So...Kai did not pass this test?"

Cole shook his head. "No, only you." He stirred his spoon in the stew as he spoke again. "Listen, I like you. As a friend, of course. I don't want to see you dead. There might be a way to avoid it, if you're willing."

Zane stroked his chin, vaguely aware of the stubble that was beginning to show itself on his face. "I'm listening," he said.

The Dark Knight took a drink of his water cup. "I want you to be my servant on board this ship," he said. "Believe me, this is a good deal for you. The moment Kozu gets his claws on you, you'll wish you were dead. But if you're here with me, I can keep you relatively safe."

Zane blinked at him, his brows furrowing as he considered the proposition. Living a life like Cole, or dying a death like all of his other prisoners...

_...And Kai..._

The Nindroid bit the inside of his lip, frustrated. Cole was telling him that Kai was a dead man already. The Southern nobleman was on death row, no matter what. But Cole was willing to give the Northern nobleman a way out.

"Why?" Zane asked eventually. "I thought you said that you were the Black Knight. If I am the white one, and Kai is red, why do you want him dead?"

Cole took out his knife and twirled it in his fingers. "I don't care about any prophesy," he said. "That is my master's job. My job is to kill all prisoners, unless they show potential. Then I can bring up their case to Overlord, and he may let him or her live. I've done it before, but only with the women. And they basically just slave away on the farms."

Zane took a deep breath. How would he be of the most use to Kai? As a servant who assisted in the torture, or as the one being tortured right alongside him?

"Can..." Zane stuttered through his words. "Can I have a few days to think about it? It'll take that long to reach the Dark Island anyway."

Cole looked at him with a raised eyebrow, clearly perplexed. He could not understand why anyone would hesitate to say yes to his request. "Sure," he said slowly. "But I need your answer before we leave the ship again."

"Thank you," Zane said. He got to his feet and grabbed his empty bowl. "I appreciate the offer, Cole." He turned and walked into the kitchen, certain that his face was as pale as death.

Kai turned and looked at him as soon as he walked in. "What did he want?" He asked gruffly.

The Nindroid rubbed his forehead and let out short groan. "I'll tell you later."

* * *

Nya sat on the stone bench in the Southern mansion's gardens, her eyes closed as she listened to the sounds around her. There was the fountain, which was a pleasant white noise that flowed through the back of her mind. And there was also the birdsong.

She opened her eyes slowly, blinking away the stars in her vision. The sun was shining directly in her face, making her eyes water. She slowly got to her feet, leaning on the cane she had grabbed from where it sat next to the bench. She limped over to another bench on the opposite side of the fountain and sat down again, so the sun was at her back. She closed her eyes and brought back some memories from a couple days ago.

_Nya and her mother had parted ways with Kaytake, and had gone back to the mansion. Driniah had gone right to work, making sure that Nya's wound was clean so it would heal properly._

_"So who is this 'Jay?'" Her mother had asked as they sat in the bedroom that night, eating supper together._

_Nya had paused for a long moment, chewing her pork thoughtfully. "He's apparently a thief from the Northern realm," she said._

_"Well I already know that," Driniah had said with a wave of her hand. "I was asking you what he was like. What did he do to you in the cave?" Her blue eyes were dark with concern._

_Nya took another bite and swallowed. "Nothing," she said. "He didn't do anything to me." She chuckled ruefully. "I'm actually concerned about what I did to him."_

_The older woman put a hand on her daughter's arm. "What are you talking about?" She had asked._

_Nya had sighed and spoke slowly. "Well, I sort of treated him like a pervert, for one thing." She said. "In hindsight, I can see that he was anything but that. I guess stress can make the mind believe strange things."_

_Lady Driniah smiled in a comforting way and patted her daughter's elbow. "Everyone makes mistakes, Nya."_

_Nya shrugged. "I guess so," she had said. "I want to give him my thanks for what he did, but I'm afraid it may be too late for that."_

_"Why?" Driniah had asked. "I'm sure you'll be able to visit him in the Northern prisons sometime soon, if you wanted to thank him."_

_Nya had forced a tear away as she spoke the words she had been harboring in her mind since they had parted ways in the woods. "He won't be in any prison, mother. He'll be dead."_

Nya opened her eyes and looked around the garden, realizing that her eyes were moist with tears. She felt more than a little guilty about the fact that Jay was on his way to his death. He had only been caught because he had helped her out. And how had she repaid him? By slapping his hand twice, expressing extreme distrust, and riding off without even giving him a thanks.

She sighed deeply and watched detachedly as birds flew through the air, flitting in circles as they sang sweet songs, as if trying to lift her mood. A noble effort, but a lost cause.

A commotion sounded off in the distance, making Nya turn her head. The sounds of neighing horses and people talking excitedly made her more than a little curious. She called out to Malian, who was running for the stable, and asked what was going on.

The general stopped in his tracks and did a quick bow. "Our lord is back with the prince and the vagrant Lady Pixal picked up." He nodded to Nya and smiled apologetically. "Forgive me, I need to get down there."

Nya held up a hand. "Wait," she said. Her heart was hammering in her chest. _Father's come back with the prince and Jay?_ "Please take me with you."

Malian only hesitated a moment. He ran to the bench where she sat and held out an arm, a warm smile on his lips. "Of course, my lady." He said.

Nya used the leverage from both her cane and the man's hand to pull herself to her feet painfully. She looped her hand through the crook of his elbow, and they walked at the fastest pace she could manage down the path to the stable yard.

"How are you, m'lady?" Malian asked, his blue eyes sparkling with his smile.

Nya found herself smiling back. "Better now," she said. "I am glad that father is back."

Malian put his hand on his elbow, above her hand, and patted it gently. "I believe that everyone feels safer when the lord is at home." His brows furrowed slightly, as if he were second guessing his words.

Nya caught the shift in his mood and questioned him as they neared the barn. "What's wrong?" She asked.

The general warmed his features a bit and shrugged. "Nothing worth your time, miss. Just boring general matters, I suppose."

Nya had been friends with Malian for many years. They were both about the same age, him being a few years older, at the age of twenty-nine. Kaytake had tried to start a spark between them several times, but it never caught. While the general was a wonderful man, and everything Nya could ever want in a husband, she had trouble fanning the flame. They just weren't meant to go together.

One of her parents requirements for her husband was that he must be of a higher class. Someone of high rank in the military, or another nobleman. There had to be some political advantage in the marriage of their daughter, which was the way of all wise rulers. Nya agreed with her parents wholeheartedly on that fact. She had to choose someone of her own rank, and she had to do it soon. But she had problems with actually selecting her man. She would chase one love interest after another, none of them ever lasting for more than a few days before the spark was extinguished by her own lack of passion.

"Nya?" She looked up from her feet and saw her father dismounting his horse. She let go of Malian and went into her father's arms.

"It is good to see you, daughter." Kaytake said, kissing her cheek. "How is your wound?"

Nya wrapped her free arm around his torso and hugged him back. "Frustrating, painful, crippling." She said with a dry smile. "But I'll live."

"Good to know, Nya." He replied with a chuckle as he let her go. "Listen, I need to go. I need to get Jay and Lloyd going on their mission, and then we can catch up." He patted her shoulder and walked past her to talk to Malian.

Nya took a deep breath and steadied her shaking fingers. Jay and the prince were in this stable somewhere. She needed to-

"Greetings, my lady." Lloyd spoke up behind her.

She turned slowly and smiled, offering him her hand. "Hello, your majesty."

Lloyd kissed her hand and looked up at her, keeping a straight face for maybe three seconds before breaking out in an embarrassing chortle. "How are you doing, Nya?" He opened his arms and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "It's been a while."

Nya went into his arms with a wide grin and kissed his cheek. "Too long," she said. "I'm not doing good, but I'm okay. Where's Jay?"

"Why do you want to know?" Lloyd asked with a coy smile.

She rolled her eyes and tried to shove him away, only making her lose her balance. She let out a short yelp as she fell over backwards, and was caught by the arms right before she could hit the floor.

"Sorry," she said as the person helped her to her feet. "Thanks for catching me." She turned around slowly and faced the man. A gasp escaped her throat.

Jay stood there in his old leather boots, with a clean pair of black pants and a grey shirt. A dark, almost navy blue cloak clung to his shoulders, and a sword hung at his waist. He gave her a smile before realizing that he held her hand, and he leapt backwards as if he had been shocked. "Sorry," he said quickly. "I-I should know better by now."

Nya frowned, now realizing the full extent of the monster she had created of herself in that cave. She held out her hand for Jay to take with a smile. "Listen, I'm the one who should be sorry."

Jay looked at the hand for a moment before hesitantly taking it and kissing it lightly. "Why is that?" He asked.

"I wasn't very kind to you the other day," she said. "I'm sorry."

"It's perfectly fine, m'lady." Jay said. "I'm just glad to see you on your feet."

"Thanks to you," Nya replied. She made a face. "I wasn't even allowed out of bed until this morning. I was just out in the garden enjoying my first breath of fresh air when you came."

Jay snorted. "The nerve of some people, right?" He let go of her and backed up a step. "Keeping you locked up? That is a crime indeed." His eyes sparkled with humor.

Nya looked up at him and noticed the pinkish scar on his forehead for the first time. _Why didn't I see it before?_ She supposed that the cave had been too dark for her to see such details.

Jay noticed her gaze, and his eyes found the floor. He obviously was ashamed of the scar.

Nya felt bad for him. Judging by the condition of his skin and hair, he was the type of man who cared a lot about cleanliness and physical appearance. His brown hair was trimmed carefully and styled in a way that was appealing and easy to maintain. It was a sort of free-spirited, and it framed his head nicely. His face was clean shaven and without a blemish, except for the large scar. The one that went straight down his temple and through his right eyebrow, stopping right before his eyelid.

Nya took a deep breath, taking her eyes away from his face. Trying to give him a compliment about how he looked handsome, scar or not, could give him the wrong idea. She did not by any means want a relationship with this thief.

So instead, she turned and took Lloyd's arm. "Look, I've pretty much had enough standing for a while," she said. "Should we go sit down?"

Lloyd hesitated. "Well, we're actually only going to be here a few minutes," he said. "We came for some of my mother's maps, which she hid somewhere on these grounds. Then we're going to start our trip to the Dark Island."

Nya's face lit up a little more. "You're going to go get Kai and Zane back?" She asked.

"And Pixal," Lloyd said. "We have three nobles on their way to death, and me and Jay are the only ones who can stop the current course of things." He said it in a deep voice and a wide grin, as if he were in one of those plays with the all-too-perfect main characters with no weaknesses. He took a dramatic bow and grabbed her hand again, kissing it with a loud smack, enjoying his fun a little too much. He stood up straight again, laughing heartily. "Geez, I'm glad I don't actually sound like that in real life." He said.

Nya pulled her hand away, pretending to be offended. "I am too," she said. "But I seriously need to go sit down. I haven't stood up for this long since my run-in with Sir Cole."

Jay stepped forward and offered her an arm. "I can walk you back to the garden," he said timidly.

Nya slid her hand through the crook of his elbow with a smile. "Thank you, Walker." She said. She looked back at Lloyd. "Make sure you come and say goodbye before you leave," she said.

Lloyd nodded. "Sure thing."

Nya and Jay walked slowly out of the barn. The pain in her abdomen seemed a little more intense than usual, most likely because of the exertion. She was breathing heavily and leaning much of her weight on the cane.

Jay gave her a concerned look. "You okay, miss?" He asked.

Nya shook her head. "I'm not going to lie. I feel terrible."

He stopped and looked down at her. "Do you want me to carry you?" He asked. "If you're in pain, I don't mind carrying you the couple hundred paces to the garden."

"How do you know where the garden is?" Nya asked, knowing that her sanctuary was at this moment concealed by trees.

A blush permeated Jay's otherwise pale face. "I might have been here a few times before," he said. "I'm a thief. It's my job to know this kind of stuff."

Nya rolled her eyes. "I guess," she said. "Although I think you should consider another line of work."

"Done," Jay said simply. "I've just been hired by the king to track down your brother." He gave her a mischievous smile. "Does that count, m'lady?"

Nya shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "It counts, I suppose." Her knuckles went white on the handle of her stick.

Jay noticed this, and he sighed. "Look, if you're done with that whole slapping phase, I'm going to pick you up and carry you the rest of the way. You can't walk anymore."

The young woman gave him a long, hard stare before responding. "I suppose I could live with that," she said.

Jay gently scooped her into his arms, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep herself steady. "Thank you, Walker." She said awkwardly.

The thief gave her a nervous smile, painfully aware of how close their faces were when her arms were around his neck. "No problem, miss Nya." He walked briskly, wanting to set her down and run off before he did or said something stupid. He'd had this feeling often, around a multitude of other pretty girls over the years. The difference being that they were usually the ones in a lower status than even himself. He could not let himself tangle with a noblewoman. The buzzing in his chest would pass as soon as he was a good ten miles from the pretty face. It always did.

Nya was not having nearly as much trouble with her own emotions. Her mother and father had been very clear about who she could and could not build affections for. Jay fell into the 'no' category without exception. Even by her own standards, he was not any good. She felt nothing at all around this man.

Jay set her down on the bench gently and smoothed out his clothes. "You'll be alright?" He asked, scratching an itch on his forehead. "Need anything before I leave?"

Nya shook her head quickly. "Thank you," she said again. "Good luck on your mission."

Jay started to back away. "I'm sure we'll meet again before I leave," he said, dipping his head respectfully. "See you later, m'lady." And he turned and walked back down the path at a brisk pace.

Nya stared after him for a long moment, trying to figure him out. He was a polite gentleman, with a nice sense of sarcasm and a cute smile.

But he was also a thief. A commoner who had stooped below even the standards of his peers.

Nya humored herself for a moment, allowing her mind to consider him as a romantic option. She took a step back and tried to imagine them in this very garden, hand in hand, laughing and talking of love.

The images it gave her brought a sick feeling into her stomach. She could tell herself with complete honesty that this man was not for her. Even if she could at some point find a place for him in her heart, it would be as a friend. Noblewomen did not fraternize with criminals.

And she was just fine with that.

* * *

**Did everyone have a busy week? I found it slightly strange that all of my reviews last week were so scattered. I got one review on Tuesday, maybe two on Wednesday, none on Thurdsday...etc etc... No problem, just saying it was a little strange, how sporadic everyone's reviews were. I usually get them all on Tuesday, and then none throughout the week. **

**Is everyone angry at me now? I'm sorry, I simply cannot make anything easy for my characters. Even trust and friendship will be slow in forming, let alone love. This 'Jaya' romance will be slow and arduous. I'm not a fan of the 'love at first sight' ****scenario, so be prepared for several more chapters of slow trust building. **

**Think about this from the perspective of the people in that day, you guys. In the Dark Ages, public status was a huge thing. You had your serfs, peasants, etc. People were expected to stay within their specific class of peoples, or else face persecution. So this 'Jaya' stuff is actually something that would be highly discouraged, and could possibly bring shame to her father's name. **


	10. Regression

**You guys get this chapter a few hours early, because I won't have time to do it later tonight...and what the heck? If it's done right now, why ****wait? **

**The other day, I was browsing on Fanfiction and found a story called 'Wanted,' by TombRaiderNinja. I am shocked by how similar our stories are, and I swear that I hadn't even heard of her story until last Friday. Seriously, She/He's got the Sir Cole, the Prince Lloyd, and the Thief Jay. Wow, I thought I was being so clever at the time... Again, I say that I did not intend to copy her story. I stumbled across it completely on accident, while taking a break from writing this chapter.**

**Frosti1212: LOL, you really like my OC...thanks? :) **

**NorthAmericanJaguar: Yeah, part of the reason I wrote that 'Stone Army Language' was so that you guys could all humiliate yourselves by saying it out loud in the family room while everyone else stares at you all weird...true story... And thank you, I really appreciate it. **

* * *

**Regression**

* * *

Zane leaned over the edge of the ship, looking down below him at the vast expanse of water. His white cloak caught the breeze and lifted it gently, sending a thrilling chill down his spine. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, allowing himself to forget his problems, at least for a few minutes.

They had been over the ocean for about a day now. Cole said that once they reached the water, the trip would take about four days.

Three left. He still did not have any answer for Cole, and his heart was torn. He had allowed himself to be captured so he could be a companion for Kai. He was going to be that, no matter what the personal cost may be. And, of course, he had his sister to think about as well. Her presence on the ship had certainly skewed whatever plans he had made for escape.

_The problem, _Zane decided,_ is being able to discern if I would be able to help them better by being the one with the keys in my hand instead of shackled alongside them._

Zane opened his eyes and looked into the direction of the wind. The sharp, dry sea air brought tears to his eyes. He had no clue what he would do.

"Zane?" Kai's voice sounded behind him. "You okay?"

The Northern nobleman turned to face his companion. "No," he said with a sigh. "No, I don't believe I am."

"You want to talk about it?" Kai asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"You should not concern yourself with the problems of other people, Kai."

"Says the guy who is risking his neck to get me off of this ship in one piece."

"He would have captured me anyway, you know." Zane shot back.

Kai threw up his arms in defeat. "Hey, you don't need to get all snappy. I was just asking. What's up with you?"

"Nothing," Zane said. "Nothing is wrong with me, Kai."

Kai crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes. "Ever since that conversation with Cole yesterday afternoon, you've been all snappy."

"Your point?"

Cole came up the steps, staggering slightly as he held the railing. "Hey, back off." He glared at Kai. "Leave the man alone."

"Make me," Kai said.

"Kai," Zane's tone was low and commanding. "Stop being the rock in our shoes. You don't need to argue with him." He sighed slowly. _What's wrong with me? _He asked himself. _Stress is no excuse for this kind of behavior, Zane. Stop it. _

Cole snorted and walked across the deck, keeping his eyes on the floor in front of him as his cloak caught the wind. He refused to look over the edge of the ship and confront the shiny water below. He reached into his pocket and drew out a key, then pushed it into a slot in the wall.

A closet door opened, and Zane watched with mild curiosity as the Dark Knight grabbed a sword. He turned and tossed it suddenly to Kai, who caught it easily.

The Southern nobleman grinned as the sword landed in his palm. "So we're going to fight?" He asked, swinging the sword casually to test its balance.

Cole grinned cruelly and drew his own sword, which hung at all times from his hip scabbard. "Isn't that what you wanted?" Now his eyes were on Kai and the blade in his hand. _Still not on the water, _Zane noted.

Cole nodded to Kai's blade. "You're move," he said. "This is just practice. We are not going to purposely hurt each other."

Kai's eyes lit up excitedly as he walked to the center of the deck, where Cole stood. "Understood," he said.

Zane watched as they patiently sized each other up for a long moment, both holding their swords in a casually defensive stance. Kai was the first to move. He leapt forward, going with a wide sweep of his blade for Cole's left side.

Cole blocked easily, taking a step to the right and tilting his blade down, so it was parallel with his body. The two swords clashed, and he turned his blade upward in a quick slice, nicking Kai's sleeve.

Kai jumped backward, surprised. He stood still for just a moment, watching Cole's face as the green eyes regarded him cooly, patiently, practically _begging_ him to strike. To do his worst, and not hold back.

So that's what he did. Leaping into a series of dangerous combinations, he backed Cole up until the darkly tanned man was a step away from the wall.

Then Cole suddenly went from defensive to offensive, charging forward with the force of a raging river, thrusting and swinging with uncanny skill, all done while not taking his eyes off of Kai's. His lips stayed straight, and his face showed no emotion.

Kai was starting to get unnerved. Sir Cole had been drinking, and had not been in a clear state of mind since yesterday. And yet, through some cruel joke of chance or fortune, he was able to best Kai without even glancing at either blades. It was as if Cole could read his mind, and was drawing the information he needed right out of Kai's brown eyes.

Kai turned suddenly, spinning on his foot in a last second attempt to best the man. He began to thrust and swing his blade with frighteningly fast slices. Cole was unprepared for this sudden move, and was left backing straight up against the guardrail.

Zane watched with fascination as Cole seemed to lose his head completely. The green eyes went wide with alarm, and his hands began to shake as he stared at the ocean water below as if it were cursed.

Kai saw his opening and swung his sword straight for Cole's arm.

Zane was barely able to process what happened next. Cole, instead of lifting his sword to block the hit, turned his body away from Kai and dropped his sword to the floor with a loud clatter.

Kai had been expecting a block, and was unable to pull back his blade in time. It clipped Cole's shoulder, and the injured man fell to his knees with a sound somewhere between a whimper and a subdued cry of pain.

Kai dropped his sword with a gasp. "Sorry," he said quickly. "Are you all right?"

Cole was breathing heavily, both palms flat on the floorboards as he continued making the strange noises, cowering like a beaten dog.

Zane rushed forward and touched the man's wounded shoulder. "Let me look at that," he said.

Cole was nearly paralyzed with fear as Zane gently helped him to his feet. "Kai," Zane said calmly as he watched the trail of blood run down Cole's white sleeve. "Run and find some bandages."

"No," Cole said in a shaky voice. "Don't touch my wounds." He extricated himself from Zane's grasp and grabbed his sword from the floor. He sheathed it and walked with unsteady strides to the dining room.

Zane followed quickly, watching as Cole grabbed a bottle off of the shelf and slumped down on the bench, pulling out the cork and dropping it to the floor without looking at it. He drank straight for the bottle, not even bothering with a cup.

"What happened?" Zane asked, sitting down across the table from the perturbed man. "You were doing good until you hit the railing."

Cole slammed the bottle on the table and glared at the Nindroid. "Yeah, I noticed." He said in a voice that betrayed his true emotions. He was not angry, but extremely overwrought and frightened.

Kai sat down next to Zane and sighed. "Look, I didn't mean to hit you. I'm sorry."

Cole waved his hand dismissively. "Not the first time I've been cut, believe me. I don't even feel it." He took another long drink out of the bottle.

"Do you want some water?" Zane asked.

Cole shook his head quickly, then reconsidered. "Y-yeah," he said. He see the bottle on the table and reached down to pick up the cork. "Please, I need a different drink." He shoved the cork back into the bottle neck and handed it to Zane.

The Northern nobleman took the bottle without hesitation and stood up. He took the bottle into the kitchen and returned an moment later with a large glass of water.

Cole took the glass and drained it while the other two men watched with concern. He set down the empty glass after a long minute, his fingers slightly more steady than before. "Look," he said slowly. "I'm sorry about that, you two."

"No," Kai said. "I'm sorry. Let's not have one of those sword fights again. You sure that you're okay?"

Cole stood abruptly. "Look, I'm fine." He snapped, eyes nearly glowing in his sudden anger. "Ask again and you won't be." He turned on his heel and left the room, sliding the door shut behind him with a bang.

Kai looked at Zane with wide eyes. "Please tell me that I didn't do that."

Zane shook his head and let it sink into his crossed arms on the table. "No, Kai. I don't think it had anything to do with you."

"Then what was that? He totally freaked out on us!"

"This goes beyond anything we did, Kai." Zane said with a muffled sigh. "Can't you see?"

"Apparently not," Kai said.

"The false escape," Zane said. "When we neared the river, his fingers began to tremble, and his face lost its color. He wouldn't follow you to the riverbed, and did not try to rejoin us until we were a good distance away from the water again."

"Yeah, but-"

"And before that," Zane interrupted, voice muffled by his sleeves. "When he entered our cell that night, holding the lantern as if the flame was actually an evil spirit. And just a few minutes ago, when you backed him up against the railing. He looked down at the water below the ship, and he had a panic attack." He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, rubbing his forehead against his arms as he sat slumped on the table. "Kai, how many times did you cut him?"

The Southern nobleman hesitated, feeling that the question was a bit off subject. "Only once," he said. "And it was an accident. I seriously thought he would block-"

"I know, Kai." Zane assured him. He was silent for a long moment. "You may have noticed, he told me not to touch his wounds."

"So?"

"Kai," Zane lifted his head from his arms and stared at his companion. "He used a plural. You only gave him one wound."

"He's been drinking, Zane. Anyone would have made a similar mistake, if in his boots."

"It was no mistake," Zane said in a low tone. "He has more than one wound. I could see it in his eyes. He is hiding something."

"He got hurt on a raid or something, Zane. I don't see what the fuss is."

"Kai," Zane said, his throat constricting. "He's been tortured. Don't you remember?"

Kai blinked once in the silence that followed Zane's bold guess. "You got all of that from your observances over the last day and a half?" He asked incredulously. "Just because a man looks at a flame with an unsteady gaze, doesn't mean he's been_ tortured._"

"Kai!" Zane said loudly, banging his fist on the table. "You swung a sword at the most feared man on the island, and he cowered in fright! Does that not seem strange?"

Kai sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair. "Yes, you are right. I'm sorry, I argue too much. Yeah, it's strange. Yes, your theory is plausible. But you don't have anything to back it up."

Zane pursed his lips and rubbed his fingers over the blond fuzz on his jaw. "Actually," he said slowly. "He told us himself that he's been tortured. I just didn't realize the full extent of the damage it did to him until now."

"So..." Kai's voice was gentle and subdued. "What do we do now?"

The Northern nobleman moved his hand to his forehead and rubbed it gently. "I don't know."

* * *

Kaytake ran down the path, Lloyd and Jay close on his heels as they traveled through the woods between the stables and garden.

"So you hid the maps here?" Lloyd asked.

The Southern lord came to a stop before a large pine tree and nodded. "Right here," he pointed at the tree. "Who's the best climber?"

Lloyd shrugged. "I'll give it a try," he said. "Unless you want to, Jay."

Jay shook his head and ran the toe of his boot through the leaves. "Naw, you go ahead." He said.

"Suit yourself," Lloyd said. He scrambled into the tree and began to climb.

"Now remember, Lloyd." Kaytake said. "Go up about eighteen, twenty feet. There should be a cylinder hidden in a hollow part of the tree."

Jay watched as Lloyd climbed with a strange smile on his lips. It was a little pitiful, because the prince couldn't seem to find a place to put his feet while he pulled with his arms. "Um, Lloyd?" He dared to speak up.

"Yeah?" Came the breathless reply.

"Go for the branch by your left foot." The thief said. "Then you can reach the one above your right arm, and then maybe-"

Lloyd let out a loud cry of frustration and jumped down. He was only about five feet from the ground, and landed on his feet easily enough. He whirled around and gave Jay a short, annoyed grin. "Why don't you do it?"

Jay shrugged. "Sure," he said. He jumped into the tree and began to climb. His foot slipped about ten feet up, and he was left dangling by his arms for a moment before his leg found purchase on a branch.

Kaytake spoke up with a laugh. "Not as easy as it looks, huh?"

Jay scrambled up a little further, wishing he had taken off his cloak before he started the climb. It seemed to catch on every branch and threatened to choke him. "I never said it was easy," he called down. "Lloyd looked like he needed help, so I thought I'd give him some advice. Then he snapped at me."

He reached into a small hole in the trunk, and his fingers fumbled for the cylinder. "Is it metal or wood?" He asked.

"Metal," Kaytake answered. "Did you find it?"

Jay sat precariously on a branch and dug into his pocket. "Not yet," he replied. He grabbed a small gadget and pushed a button. The tiny contraption suddenly took flight and left his palm. A moment later, it began to glow.

The man guided his floating light into the hole and rummaged again, getting his head and an arm inside. The hole was filled with leaves, dust, and other miscellaneous debris, and smelled dank.

He was about to give up when he caught the glint of metal in the corner of his eye, and he brushed away the leaves in that area. His fingers touched cold metal, and he gave a triumphant whoop. He regretted it immediately, because the sound reverberated through the hole and filled his head about ten times louder than when it had left his mouth. He seriously needed to learn to be more quiet.

He cringed and drew his head from the hole, holding the cylinder up for inspection. It was about a foot long, two inches in diameter.

"Got it!" He shouted down to the men below. He held the container between his teeth and grabbed the floating light out of the hole, pushed the button again, and shoved it into his pocket.

He shimmied down the tree with relative ease, and presented the cylinder to his companions. "Is this it?" He asked, taking it from between his teeth and holding it out to Kaytake.

The Southern nobleman took it with a pleased look. "Well done, Jay." He twisted off the cap and and carefully pulled out two parchments, rolled in on each other. He unrolled both papers and handed one to Lloyd.

"So these are the maps." Lloyd said it as a statement rather than a question. He examined it a moment. "It looks like a map of Ninjago Island."

Jay looked at the aging parchment in Kaytake's hands. "So, am I right in assuming that this is the Dark Island?" He adjusted the cloak on his shoulders so it would lay right and not pull on his neck.

"Yes," Kaytake said with a nod. He rolled up the paper and handed it to the thief. "Guard these with your life, Jay. They are irreplaceable."

"Yes sir," Jay said as he took the map.

Lloyd handed his paper to Kaytake. "How does it feel, Jay?" He asked, slinging an arm over the man'a shoulder. "The fate of the Islands rest on our shoulders."

The thief shrugged himself out of Lloyd's grasp. "It's heavier than I imagined," he said. "Let's get over to the Dark Island, so we can unburden ourselves a bit on the other three guys."

Lloyd snorted. "Your enthusiasm is a little overwhelming," he said sarcastically. "Come on, I know you have a sense of humor. You don't have to treat us all regally. We've been over this."

"Yes, your majesty," Jay said with a grin.

"There, you see?" Lloyd said triumphantly. "Congratulations, Jay. You officially found your sense of humor."

"I never lost it," Jay said. "Are you done yet?"

"Gentlemen," Kaytake said. He took the map from Jay and rolled both papers together. "We have about thirty minutes to get you two on the ship that'll take you to the Dark Island." He slid the maps back into the cylinder and screwed the lid back on. He held it out between the two men, waving it in invitation. "Who's going to take it?"

Jay grabbed the cylinder without hesitation. "You shouldn't trust such sensitive information with such a terrible crook," he said with a grin. He twirled the tube in his fingers, and it disappeared suddenly.

Lloyd's eyes went wide. "How did you do that?" He asked.

Jay grinned and twirled his fingers again. It reappeared, and he set it in Lloyd's palm. "Trade secret," he said it with a sky grin and a wink.

The prince slid his fingers across the cold metal, and he smiled broadly. "Honestly, how cool could a guy get?"

Jay's face flushed. "It wasn't that great of a trick," he said quickly.

Kaytake waved his hand in the direction of the mansion. "Stop embarrassing the poor guy, Lloyd." He said. "You guys can hang out for a few more minutes while I talk to the girls. I'll be right back."

Lloyd gave the Southern lord a grin and saluted. "Yes sir."

* * *

_{Water... Water everywhere... Cold, relentless, and oh, so noisy. It's loud gurgle echoed off of the stone walls, almost drowning out his mother's weak, dying whispers. She had been chained to the floor, ensuring that she would not swim to the surface. He had been left unchained, because they wanted him alive. _

_...But just because the body remained alive, that did not mean the mind would be half as fortunate..._

_"Cole..." Her raspy voice was weak, and the rising water around her small, frail body crimson and warm. "Be strong...for me, my son."_

_Cole stroked her wet face tenderly, his thumb running over her bruised cheek as he held her head on his lap. "I can't." He whispered, unable to expel the lump from his throat. "I'm not."_

_Her cracked lips curved up in a faint smile. The last smile she would ever make. "You can become that, then." A raspy breath, another inch of water. "Become strong, continue being brave. Don't let Kozu strip you of that."_

_"I won't...I promise..."_

_He watched in horror as the water covered her face. He was helpless, unable to do anything but watch as her body made its last attempt at breaking the iron chains. Such a delicate flower, beaten so mercilessly by the waves, suffocated by the many weeks of darkness in Kozu's dungeon._

_"I'm so sorry, mother..."_

_The bubbles eventually ceased to rise from the blood red water, and the flower withered.}_

Cole awoke with a start, sweat beading at his forehead and dripping into his eyes as he blinked in the darkness. He rubbed his face dry with the back of his arm and slowly got his breathing under control.

His head felt like a hammer was pounding in his skull. He decided that he would have to lay off on the alcohol for the rest of the day. He had overstepped his boundaries the day before, and had most certainly payed for it when he spoke to Zane about the test. As much as he needed the drink to keep his nerves from fraying, he needed to keep his tongue wound up tight. No more mistakes, no more overdoses. It had made him look weak.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and let out a stiff groan as a ripping pain went down his back and shoulders. He stood up and turned on a lamp, refusing to look at the flame. He turned away from the lantern and examined his back in the full length mirror.

His skin was pale below the neck line, because his shirt never left his body unless he was in his bed or in the dungeons.

He concealed the wounds and hid the pain by wearing a shirt at all times. He would not provoke anyone to pity. Looking at the condition of his back and shoulders was enough to bring the strongest man to tears. But of course, he had always looked like that. The pink, lumpy scars were as much a part of him as the tense jaw and the cold green eyes. He was used to it. Adaptability on the Dark Island was what kept him alive.

He moaned deep in his throat as he examined the newer ones. They were becoming inflamed, and hurt as if fire was burning beneath the skin. He grabbed the bottle of ointment and cursed under his breath. He was almost out. He should've grabbed some before he left Ninjago. He had no idea how long he would have to live without it, after this final jar ran out. It could be weeks before he'd be able to go back to the Northern realm.

He opened the jar and carefully applied the sticky medicine to the fresh cut on his shoulder, then reached to his lower back and treated the more infected ones. He mumbled under his breath angrily as he tried to reach the marks on his upper back. They were the most painful, mostly because he could not get any of the ointment into the cuts that high.

"You want some help?" A voice asked behind him.

Cole jumped and whirled around to face the owner of the voice.

Kai stood there, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest. His face was pale, as if all the color had been drained out.

The Dark Knight turned his back away, so his prisoner couldn't see. But it was too late. Kai had obviously seen. That was what made the man so pale. As was said before, the sight was enough to make a man cry.

"What do you want?" He asked sharply, setting the jar down on the table.

Kai shrugged, not moving from his spot in the doorway. "I heard a noise, and was wondering if you were dead."

Cole raised an eyebrow. "You heard a noise, and thought I might be...dead?"

"Okay, so that wasn't the best excuse I could have come up with." Kai said in an exasperated tone. "Look, I wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings about what happened earlier."

"You...you're apologizing again?"

"Yeah."

"Stop it." Cole snapped. "I don't need your sympathy."

Kai snorted. "Who said I was sympathetic?"

"Get to the point, prisoner."

"I heard a noise," Kai said. "I wanted to get you in private, so you could know I wasn't just apologizing because Zane was watching. So I knocked on the door and got no answer, I walked in, and I saw..." He frowned. "I see a mangled body that really needs some help. What happened to you?"

Cole instinctively took a step backwards and grabbed a shirt from his chair. "Just leave me alone," he said. "Honestly, that sword wound doesn't bother me a bit. It's the least painful of the cuts on my body."

"Let me see them," Kai said. "I am a healer. We could go to the kitchen, and I could clean the wounds with-"

Cole balled up the shirt and threw it in Kai's face. "Go away!" He shouted.

Kai caught the shirt, an angry glint in his eyes. "Do you want me to fight?" He snarled. "I will start a fight so fast your head will spin."

Cole clenched his fists and took a deep, calming breath. He needed Kai alive, unharmed. Hurting Kai would be asking for another lashing. "Alright," he said through clenched teeth. "Will you _please_ go away? And don't tell Zane what you saw."

Kai uncrossed his arms and took a step toward Cole. "You need help," he said. "Please, let me make it up to you."

"You wanna make it up to me?"

"Yes!"

"Then go away."

"No," Kai held out a hand. "Give me the jar, and I'll get that spot you couldn't reach."

Cole examined Kai's face suspiciously. "Why do you care?" He asked. "What happened to the guy in the woods who ran off because I insulted his parents?"

"He decided to stop letting it get under his skin." Kai said. "When one gets into a predicament like he is in right now, it's best to just let it bounce off of a hard shell." He twisted his lips into a grin. "I'm sure you understand that better than most."

Cole could not argue. He tried to find something to say, but his tongue was glued to the top of his mouth.

Kai saw this as an opportunity to make his move. He walked over to the table and picked up the jar and lantern. "Come on, we're going to the kitchen." He said.

Cole crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at Kai, but he did not object again. He followed the nobleman down the hallway, up the stairs, and into the dining room.

Kai set the jar down on the table and disappeared into the kitchen. He appeared a moment later with a rag, a bottle of wine and a glass of water.

Cole looked at the bottle with a deep frown. "I'm not drinking right now," he said.

"I know," Kai said. "It isn't to drink." He picked up the cup of water and poured it slowly onto Cole's back. "This'll hurt a bit."

Cole grunted in pain and ground his teeth. "Easy," he said. "Just because I'm drugged, doesn't mean I can't feel pain."

Kai took the rag and rubbed away at his pink, scarred skin. "What is all of this?" He asked, almost too afraid to touch the ridges. There must have been at least a hundred of them, gained over the span of the two years since his capture. Some were high up, almost at his scalp. Kai saw that many of them also went down his hips, partially concealed by his black pants.

"Isn't it obvious?" Cole snapped. "Those new ones are from the day I left the Dark Island. I spoke without thinking, and got three lashes." Why was he talking to Kai? He had no clue.

Kai grunted. "Pretty harsh," he remarked. He opened the bottle of wine and poured some of the Burgundy onto the cloth.

"Eh," Cole shrugged. "He was having a bad day." He gasped when the reddened cloth pressed into the first cut. "What are you doing back there?" He exclaimed. "Are you helping or poisoning me?"

"Helping," Kai said simply. "I said it would hurt, suck it up and be a man."

"Don't push your luck, prisoner." Cole shot back. "Just because I'm letting you do this, doesn't mean you can walk all over me."

Silence reigned for several more minutes as Kai wetted the cloth and rubbed it into the wound, then wetted the cloth and did it all over again. When he had the three whip marks on Cole's back and the one sword cut on his shoulder cleaned up, he rinsed the wounds again with water and rubbed a meager amount of the ointment on the stripes.

All the while, Cole stared at the far wall and tried to zone out the pain, arms folded on the table before him. "Honestly," he said when Kai began putting away his supplies. "Could that have been any more painful?"

Kai frowned at him and put the mostly full bottle on the shelf. "Sorry if I disappointed you," he said tartly. "I could have pushed harder with that rag." He picked it up and pursed his lips. "Where do you want it, by the way?"

Cole flicked a wrist in the direction of the closet. "There's a basket for the soiled rags in there," he said. "The slave women will get them clean as soon as we get to the island."

For some reason, Kai was repulsed by the way Sir Cole said 'slave women.' But he did not feel like delving further into the matter. So he turned around and tossed the rag in the direction of the basket. It landed half in, half out.

"Kai," Cole said with sudden ferocity. "All the way in. Do you want me to beat you?"

"Do you want me to ever help you out with that mangled back of yours again?" He snapped back.

"No!" Cole shouted. "No, I do not want you _ever_ touch me again!" He stood up abruptly, strode over to the closet, picked up the rag, and threw it angrily into the basket. He glared at Kai for a long moment before stomping out of the room and slamming the door loudly behind him, making his prisoner flinch.

Kai turned to the table and let out a heavy sigh as he looked at the mess he had made. He grabbed a fresh rag and went to the table to clean up the bloody water and wine mess.

Oh, how he despised Sir Cole.

* * *

**Awww...poor Cole...**

**Okay, pity moment is over now. **

**And don't say I didn't warn you about this whole torture thing. I totally had references to it in like...chapter 3? LOL I think that was it. **

**Please leave a comment, click subscribe, press the little thumbs-up button below. **

**Oops, wrong site...Oh, well. You guys get it. **


	11. Puzzle Pieces

**This chapter will have some plot progression and excitement! Cliffhangers, here we come!**

* * *

**Puzzle Pieces **

* * *

The birds sang sweetly all around her as she tinkered on the table in the workshop near her garden. The door was open, permitting the natural light to enter the room that was usually only lit by the bulbs in the ceiling. Commoners could rarely afford luxuries such as electricity. But being born into a family of nobles, Nya had no lack of the convenient power source.

Electricity had always interested her, and robots held her mind hostage with their appeal and beauty. The shiny metal, the spinning gears, and everything else that came with inventing was mesmerizing.

Yes, she invented. Nya, daughter of Kaytake, often called the fairest of all blossoms by her suitors because of her beauty, was an inventor. That was a part of her secret life. None of the public knew of her true passions. Most believed that she was as her mother, with the love of floral and fauna. While that was most certainly true, her greatest passion was that of building and designing great pieces of machinery.

Zane and Lord Julien had instructed her on many occasions, and were proud of the results of her 'training,' if that is what it could be called. She was not really as much a student as she was a colleague. She worked alongside, not beneath. She was respected among the few mechanics in the Northern realm that knew of her secret life. No one outside of her family knew how she spent most afternoons.

The objects on the table before her were the result of many weeks of work. In fact, she had been in the middle of working on it when she saw her brother snitching one of her mother's berries a few days before.

"Is it almost done, Nya?" A gentle voice asked behind her, making the injured woman jump in fright and grab at a knife hanging from a belt at her hip. She held it in a defensive position in front of her.

Kaytake took a step backward and gaped at her with wide eyes. "It's just me," he said slowly. "What's wrong, honey?"

Nya took a deep breath and sheathed the knife with trembling fingers. "Sorry," she said. "You scared me."

The Southern lord came forward and put a gentle arm around her waist. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "Says the beautiful young woman who usually doesn't flinch, even if I were to wake you up with my impish shouting."

"Which you have done before," Nya said with an unsteady grin.

Her father looked mildly offended. "Only once or twice," he said.

"Or every other weekend."

"Eh, those late night parties always make us sleep in the next day." Kaytake let out a low chuckle. "You sort of deserve it. You know you shouldn't stay up as late as you usually do on the weekends." He looked at the table and fingered a few pieces. "What's this?" He asked.

Nya wiggled out of his grasp and picked up the object with the hand not occupied with a cane. It was a small rod with patterned birds and flowers all across it. "Just some decorations for the mech," she said. "I finished all of the important pieces a while ago. I just wanted to make it look prettier before I showed it to Zane and Julien."

Kaytake snorted. "As long as it is functional, I really don't think the decorations matter."

Nya set the rod down and gave her father a stern look. "That's the difference between guys and girls," she said firmly.

"Touché," Kaytake held up his hands in defeat. "I would love to help you out, but I've got to get Walker and the prince to the port. Captain Darren is not a patient man, and will not wait for us if we are late."

Nya nodded and kissed his cheek. "Are you going with them?"

"Good heavens, no." Kaytake said with a laugh. "My place is here, with the rebellions in the North. No, I am leaving the international affairs in the hands of an immature prince, a thief, a robot, a murderer, and worst of all," he smiled ruefully. "Your brother."

"Well, one thing is for sure," Nya said.

"What's that?"

The noblewoman gave her father a strange look. "That is what the Overlord would least expect."

Kaytake blinked once and stared at her for a long moment. "You want to go, don't you?" He asked, suddenly sober.

Silence was dominant for many long seconds before her response came, in the form of a low whisper. "Yes."

Her father's eyes were conflicted, darting to the nearby trees before returning to her face. "You realize how foolish that idea is, don't you?" He asked.

Nya's face darkened. "Yes," she said again. "But I still want to do it. He's just as much my brother he is your son."

"And...if I were to lose you both, daughter?"

"You won't, father."

"You don't know that. Plans often go astray."

"So...I can't go?"

Kaytake sighed and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her in a gentle embrace. "Is the suit functional?" He asked.

"Yes," Nya looked up at him with wide brown eyes. "You aren't really..."

Her father gave her a sad smile and nodded. "Your suit built for speed, right?" He asked.

"Yes, why?" Nya slowly pulled away so she could look at his eyes better. She had a hard time believing that he was not joking.

"Faster than even the Black Bounty?"

"I've never actually tried to test its top speed before, but most likely not. It's only the first model, you know."

The Southern lord's grin returned slowly. "Can you carry two passengers?"

"I can modify for that," she smiled with him, seeing where this was going. "So is that a yes?"

Kaytake took a deep breath and ran his hands through his graying brown hair. "It would certainly be more convenient," he said with a shrug. "It would cut down travel time to as little as six days of flying, instead of two or three weeks on the ship."

Nya wrapped her free arm around his neck and hugged him tightly for a long moment, tears of gratitude on her face. "Thank you so much, father." She whispered in his ear. "I'll bring them back."

Kaytake kissed her cheek. "And in a timely fashion, I would hope." He said. "Don't keep me waiting too long for your return."

"I won't, father." She said. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, daughter." He pulled himself out of her grasp and backed toward the door. "I've got to talk to your mother, then go down and pay the captain who was supposed to take them to the Dark Island." He waved once. "See you soon."

Nya waved and turned back to her work, heart beating heavily in her chest. _She was going to the Dark Island!_

* * *

Kai wandered down the hall, avoiding eye contact with the stone warriors that he passed on his way to the deck. The black soldiers seemed more like animals than men. If you looked one in the eye, they would attack. If not with a sword, then with a harsh shove or a few words in their language that were obviously meant to severely demean him.

He walked out onto the deck and grumbled under his breath as the cold droplets of water crashed against his skin and robbed him of whatever heat he had managed to make while in the rooms below. He was feeling nauseas from the movement of the ship rocking gently in the rapidly growing winds. He looked up at the mast of the huge ship and squinted his eyes, bringing into focus the figure sitting on the long crossbeam, back against the main vertical beam, legs tucked close to his chest. _Go figure,_ Kai thought. _It's Zane. Who else would be sitting up there during a storm?_

Kai trudged across the deck and grabbed the lanyard. He climbed as quickly as he could, slipping three times in his ascent up the slippery hemp ropes. He reached the horizontal beam and straddled it with his legs like a horse, grabbing the main mast with his hands, quietly observing the white figure on the opposite side of his handhold. He dared to look down once and nearly lost his meager lunch.

"May I help you?" Zane spoke up softly, mind clearly preoccupied.

Kai scooted closer, nearly losing his balance as the ship jerked with a sudden gust. "Maybe," he said. "What's wrong with you?"

"How many times have you asked me that?" The Nindroid said patiently. "It is nothing, please let it go."

"No," Kai said firmly. "Look, you obviously aren't doing well. Will you please talk to me?"

"What gave you the impression that I was not doing well?"

"You're sitting alone in the rain, staring out at those dark rain clouds as if..." He sighed exasperatedly. "I never was good with that kind of poetry," he said. "You get my meaning."

Zane was silent for a long moment before speaking. "What do you think will happen when we get there?"

Kai repositioned his body so he was sitting like his companion, back against the mast. The wind tugged at his hair, tousling it roughly. His fingers trembled as he brought to mind his confrontation three days ago with Sir Cole. The scars on his captor's back had sent shivers down his spine. Some were healed, and were nothing but painless white ridges. Others were still pink and inflamed, but healed on the surface. Only the four that he had cleaned that morning were open and fresh. He hated himself for feeling guilty about the fourth one, the sword wound he had given Cole unintentionally.

"Torture," he said reluctantly. "I've got no doubts on that one."

Zane grunted. "So are you afraid?"

"Who wouldn't be?" Kai replied. "Especially if we end up like Cole." He covered his mouth with his hands. Smooth move, giving away the fact that he knew about those...

Zane shifted suddenly. "And you know what has happened to Cole?" He asked.

Kai growled under his breath. His mouth was so much faster than his brain. "I may have seen a few things," he said.

"And he told you not to tell?" The Northern nobleman pressed gently.

"Sort of," Kai said. "I guess so. But what could it hurt, telling you?"

"Don't," Zane said quickly. "He trusts you. Don't betray him."

"I don't care what he thinks of me," Kai snapped. "That man is already dragging me down to my grave. The least I can do is make my existence miserable for him. I can make him eager to get rid of me, and maybe get a faster death."

"He's more patient than you give him credit for," Zane said.

"What does patience have to do with this?"

"Everything," Zane said. "He won't hasten a death because of hate. If anything, hate would drag out the death for longer than is customary for him."

"You don't know him like I do," Kai insisted. Again, he regretted his words.

Zane snorted. "So this secret talk of yours has left you with some sympathy?"

Kai hesitated. "Yes, I think so."

He heard a chuckle from the wood behind him. "Look, this is a bit off topic," Zane said. "But who would you rather be? Would you want to be Sir Cole, with his power and authority, or us?"

Kai's eyebrow raised. "What exactly sparked this question?"

"Just answer truthfully, please."

"Fine," Kai sighed and rested his head against the mast and was silent for another long moment, cold breeze blowing rain into his face as he pondered the question. "I am content where we are," he said. "If we were in Sir Cole's place, I think I would be more worried."

"Why is that?" Zane prompted. "We wouldn't be dead."

"Because our families are relatively safe right now," Kai replied. "You see, if we were Kozu's servants, we would be striving to not only keep ourselves alive, but our families as well. If we are to die, we can do that knowing our families are safe."

Zane let out a low hum, deep in thought. "Thank you, Kai." He said finally. "I believe that solves my problem."

"That was your problem?" Kai asked. "Seriously? That's what's been eating at you for days now?"

"Yes."

"To what end?" The Southern nobleman asked in an exasperated tone. "Why on earth would you let a pointless question like that consume you?"

Zane chuckled. "I don't know, Kai." He said. "I just don't know."

Kai sighed loudly and shifted uncomfortably in his seat as another gust attempted to unseat him. "Hey, you want to get down?" He asked. "I'm thinking we could start dinner."

"Sounds like a plan," Zane said. He got to his feet as if he were walking on gravel instead of a slippery beam, then grabbed a hold of the ropes and slid down to the ground far below.

Kai watched as his companion made a beeline for the dining room. The Southern nobleman got to his feet in a more clumsy fashion and slid down the rope, following the Nindroid inside.

As soon as he opened the door, he could tell something was up. The room had a noxious smell, perhaps a combination of chicken broth and over-seasoned steak.

He sighed slowly and rubbed his temples. It was going to be another one of _those_ nights...

* * *

Kaytake could see the clouds on the horizon long before they reached him. He could not explain it, but the sight of the dark expanse rolling over the ocean left a sick feeling in his stomach. It was almost as if there was something evil in those thunderous clouds, just waiting to pounce out and destroy everything below.

He rode his horse at a fast trot as the drizzle began, his red cloak hood pulled over his head. "Just my luck," he mumbled to himself. "It was sunny when I left the estate a hour ago." It had been hard, but he had finally convinced his wife that letting Nya go with Jay and Lloyd was for the best. Nya's suit was heavily weaponized, and the men escorting her were both excellent fighters. 'Nothing short of an army of stone samurais could hurt them,' Kaytake had assured Driniah.

He had also warned Jay and Lloyd that if they did any flirting with his daughter he would not be very happy. Lloyd had responded with a surprised 'yes sir,' because he really did not have interest in anything beyond a friendship for the young woman. Jay's nod had been slower, but only by about half a second. Kaytake was not worried about it in the least. Jay seemed to consider his options careful before rushing in. It was a trait most likely acquired over years of careful mind discipline. That was what made Walker the best of the best, when it came to thieving. He was calculative and intelligent.

After that short talk, Kaytake had left, riding his horse down the road that led to the port city where the ship Lloyd and Jay had been scheduled to travel on only an hour before the plan change.

Because of the short notice, Kaytake had gone with the first available ship and commissioned it immediately. Now he was going back to the port to inform the captain of the ship, a mister Darren Garth, that he was relieved of the duty. The captain was going to be payed, of course. Just for his troubles, Kaytake was giving him a fair sum of money as a thanks.

Kaytake reached the harbor and rode to the ship afore mentioned, and a man with dirty blond hair and a long nose greeted him straightaway.

"Yeer late," the man said in a strange accent. "Where's the other two?"

Kaytake swung his leg over the saddle and planted both feet on the wet dock. "They aren't coming," he said, pulling a small bag of coins from his pocket. "My apologies, Captain Garth. Here's some money for your trouble." He dipped his head and shook the man's cold hand. "Thank you for your time."

Darren pocketed the money and gave him a smile. But it wasn't a warm smile. It was more of a knowing, conceited smirk. "Thank you, m'lord." He said. "I nearly forgot. I have a message fer you," he waved with his hand, and started walking toward the ship. "If yee could follow me, please. My men'll hold your horse."

An alarm went off in Kaytake's head, and he hesitated. "Who's it from?"

Darren turned around, looking more than a little impatient. "Not sure, someone from the North. Said he didn't have time to drop by the estate, and asked me to give it t'ya."

Kaytake wasn't sure what was making him so suspicious. Perhaps it was this man's strange and informal manner of speaking. Or perhaps it was the dark, thundering rainclouds. There was just something that didn't look right.

But he followed anyway, hand resting casually on the pommel of his sword, just in case. He went up onto the deck and regarded the ten or so men standing on the deck with a polite nod. They simply stared in return, scowls on their faces. He was suddenly glad that Nya had offered to take the men to the Dark Island, because the more he looked at this crew, the less desirable they were.

"Somethin' wrong, m'lord?" The captain spoke up, holding a piece of paper and a white rag in his hands. He strode forward, rotating the rag casually in swinging circles as he held out the sheet of paper.

Kaytake eyed the man's forced polite grin for a long second before taking the paper. He opened it and read the carefully scripted block letters:

_To Lord Kaytake, Prince Lloyd, and the Blue Knight. _

_Perhaps we had met before, and perhaps not. I am a powerful man in the North, and I need you. Excuse the short notice, I've been a bit pressed for time with the rebellion and all, so if you would be as kind as to hold still for perhaps one moment, it could save us both some trouble and hassle._

_-Cyrus Borg_

Kaytake's head jerked up, and his eyes went wide as the true nature of his situation dawned on him. He dropped the paper to the wet floorboards and reached for his sword. But before he could pull it free of its sheath, Darren leapt forward with his rag and pressed it over Kaytake's mouth and nose.

Instinctively, the nobleman gasped. His mind instantly went fuzzy, and his vision faded. He heard a chorus of rough laughter in the distance and felt a dull pain, as if he had hit a brick wall head on. Perhaps it was his body hitting the floor.

He hardly had time to curse himself for his stupidity before he lost all consciousness, and his world went black.

* * *

The ship rocked violently left and right as it struggled to stay airborne in the violent storm.

Zane nearly tripped over his own feet as he stood on his toes to reach the highest shelf, where the more obscure herbs in Sir Cole's collection were stored. They had just finished dinner, and were at that moment busy cleaning up the cooking mess.

"That's not right, Zane." Cole said from his position at the sink. "The cilantro goes between the oregano and the thyme."

"What do you care?" Kai snapped from his side of the room, where he was sweeping the floor. "And what exactly sparked that order of organization, anyway?"

"Just let him be," Zane said as he put the dried cilantro in its proper place. "I'm sure he has his reasons, just stop pushing him."

"No, it's fine." Cole said as he scrubbed the pot they had used for dinner. "Listen, you guys are doing such a terrible job in here, I might as well finish this by myself. You two should go and try to enjoy your final hours as relatively free men."

A soft scoff left Kai's mouth without warning. "What sparked this sudden sympathy?"

"Who said I was sympathetic?" Cole snapped back.

They exchanged frustrated glares for a long moment before Zane stepped between them and lifted his arms in a gesture that firmly requested peace. He stood patient and silent for nearly ten long seconds before Cole and Kai turned back to their jobs.

Zane let his arms drop and nodded tiredly in approval. Sometimes he felt that he held more authority than his captor. He had been the mediator, breaking up these fights frequently over the past four days, and it was getting tiring.

"Kai," Cole said, obviously fighting back a biting edge in his tone. "You're not sweeping properly."

"Well, how is it supposed to be done?" Kai asked, holding back his own malicious edge as he forced the words out.

Cole pointed at a corner to his left. "The corners," he said shortly. "You kicked a pebble into that corner earlier, and it's still there. You obviously aren't sweeping properly if it's still there."

Kai grumbled something inaudible under his breath and swept the corner clean. "What is it with you and tiny details?" His tone held a surprising lack of anger, and was more annoyed than anything else. "Why does everything have to be perfect?"

Zane sighed softly and shook his head. "Kai, please leave him alone."

Cole held up a wet, trembling hand for silence. He obviously wasn't enjoying the fact that he was washing a pot in a tub full of water. "It's a valid question," he said slowly. "I will humor you with an answer since, to the best of my knowledge, the information cannot be used against me for your own gain."

Zane was visibly surprised by Cole's reaction to Kai's rude question.

"Seriously?" Kai asked. "To be perfectly honest, I wasn't expecting an answer."

Cole nodded and grabbed a towel. He dried the pot with careful, methodical strokes. "The pieces to my puzzle have been right in front of your faces the whole time," he began. "You just haven't learned how they all connect. But I'd be lying if I said I understood how I worked, so I won't be hypocritical."

He opened a cupboard and placed the pot on a shelf inside, centering it meticulously before shutting the door again. "My mind is a mess," he said. "A puzzle with pieces beyond my ability to put back together. I have been broken, and I am grieved to say that some of my pieces might even be missing."

He wrung out the cloth that he had used to scrub the pot, then set it carefully in the rag basket. "My mind is a mess," he said eventually. "It cluttered with overstimulated emotions that I cannot control. So to compensate for my lack of mental control, I regulate my environment. I control everything in my personal space, and I care for those under my jurisdiction to the best of my abilities."

He held out his right hand, palm up. "I control what I can see, and what I can feel with my fingers, so that I may forget about the problems in my mind that are out of my control." He clenched his fist tightly, then let it drop limp at his side. "I have very little control over my life, so whenever I see something I have the authority to control, I seize the chance. Does that make any sense to you?"

_He sure uses the word 'control' a lot, _Zane thought to himself. "Yes, I believe it does." He picked up a bowl of food that had been laid on the counter several minutes earlier. "Is it okay if we take this to my sister now?"

Cole chuckled softly. "A quick change of topic," he remarked. "But yes, I will go with you and unlock her cell door."

"Thank you," Zane nodded respectfully and backed toward the door. Cole and Zane followed him out into the dining room

Kai opened the door, and a huge gust of wind blew a torrent of cold rain into their faces. Cole leapt backwards with a gasp of alarm and drew his cloak tightly around his body.

Zane turned to him, concern and pity glinting in his eyes as Kai shut the door. "If you'd give me the keys," he said. "I could go with Kai, and you could stay here."

Cole shook his head quickly and took a deep breath. "No, I'm fine. Rain is a frequent thing, you know. I'm nearly okay with it." His words were choppy and rushed.

Kai opened the door again, and the three of them walked out into the rain. The deck swayed violently in the light of early dusk, and Kai was nearly swept off of his feet as he struggled to get the door shut. Zane had a feeling that if any of them lost their balance, they could fall straight over the edge of the ship and into the churning waters far below.

Cole lost no time in getting to the stairs. He had spent several years aboard this ship, and had attained excellent balance in that time. The sudden jerks and swaying movements did not phase him nearly as much as the heavy, icy cold water droplets falling from the sky.

Zane felt a strong tug at the base of his neck and realized that his cloak was catching the wind and trying to pull him away. He ignored the painful tugs and followed Cole down the stairs. Kai followed, and they stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

Cole was breathing heavily, pupils dilated as he tried to shake the water droplets out of his hair. "Well that..." He panted. He placed a hand on the wall and kicked his boots on the floor. "That was exciting. But all the same, I'm staying below deck the rest of the night."

Kai slapped Zane's shoulder and laughed. "Would you look at that," he said. "Cole finally found his sense of humor. Granted, it's a little sarcastic. But it's definitely there."

Cole gave him a hard glare and removed his hand from the wall. It swung limply at his side as his other hand went for the keys at his belt. He tossed them without warning, and they landed square in the center of Kai's forehead with a loud clank.

Kai fell backwards with a surprised cry of pain. "What was that for?" He asked, palm traveling to the red welt on his forehead.

Cole shrugged nonchalantly. "You wanted the keys," he said. "Now you've got them."

Zane bent down and grabbed the keys from where they had landed after bouncing off Kai's skull. "Nice throw," he said with a nod. "Thank you. I am glad you finally trust me with these keys."

Cole waved his hand dismissively. "Don't let it go to your head, prisoner." He turned on his heel and walked into his room, shutting the door softly behind him.

* * *

Pixal's head jerked up at the sound of soft knocking. Perfect timing. She was just getting done. She flipped the last switch and wiggled back into her shirt in a flash. Her night vision turned on, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she tied the decorative belt around her midsection, over the crumpled white shirt. It felt nice, having her powers back.

She leapt to her feet softly and blew out the candle. Her timing had to be perfect, otherwise her plan wouldn't work.

"Pixal, are you in there?" She heard her brother's voice but she did not answer. That would ruin her escape.

She took off her cloak and hung it over the window, effectively blocking out almost all the remaining light. It was almost dusk anyway, so whatever light did manage to escape through the cloak was grey and hard to discern. Not ideal, but it would have to do.

She heard soft speech on the other side of the door and forced her breathing to still. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she realized the full extent of what she was about to do. She hated herself for it, but she had decided that she had no choice. Her brother was one of them now, and she would have to come back and help him later. She would rescue him eventually, she was sure. And as for Kai? Of course she would do her best to come back for him too. And if she was lucky, she'd have a chance to give that bloody Dark Knight a piece of her mind. And her blade as well, if her luck was exceptionally good that day.

"Just go to our room, Kai. I need some time with my sister." A soft jangle of keys signaled her time was up. Zane was unlocking the door. _Uh-oh..._ That wasn't supposed to happen. Cole was always the one with the keys.

_No turning back now, Pixal._ She told herself firmly. _You don't have to hurt him, this just changes the plan up a bit._ She tiptoed over to the door and pressed herself flat against the wall. With any luck, she would blend with the grayish black walls and her brother would not see her leave.

The door opened, and a tall figure entered the room. Pixal held her breath, willing him to not turn his head in her direction.

"Pixal?" Zane's tone was full of worry. "Pixal, where are you? Your candle is out."

_Great observation, big brother. _She was barely able to keep herself from spitting the words out in his face. _Yes, my candle it out. Now please take about two more steps, and I will be out of your hair. No more liability, no more crutch. You'll have one less person to protect._

Zane took one hesitant step, apparently realizing what was actually going on. "Pixal, don't you realize what you're doing to me?" He asked, staring at the cloak that hung over the window. "Where are you planning on escaping to? Why are you leaving me?" His voice was becoming frantic. "Did you stop to consider what Cole will do to me when he finds out that you have escaped? I have the keys, you know. He finally trusts me, and now you're going to blow whatever progress I've made with this? You didn't come to me first."

_Stockholm syndrome set in fast for him,_ Pixal thought with regret and bitterness. _I need to hurry up and get out of here before he makes me change my mind._

She heard Zane sigh softly. His silhouette shifted, and he turned his head to the right, beginning his sweep around the room with the fleeting hope of finding her before she ran off. "Listen," he said quickly. "Do what you need to do, Pix. Get away from here. I'll give you ten seconds to run before I get Sir Cole, and we will chase you. I have no choice, I'm sorry."

Pixal decided to speak up, and she did so in a soft whisper. "What about you, brother?" This wasn't supposed to happen. Her plan had been for Sir Cole to come into the room first with the keys in hand, just like he always had before. At the time, she had decided to then knock him out with a blow to the back of the head, grab Kai and her brother, then leave before Cole woke up. This new trust development had certainly screwed things up good. Zane was such a puzzle to her.

"I don't care what he does to me," Zane replied. "As long as you are safe, I will be happy." He hesitated a moment. "There are no life rafts, so you will have to swim. Just get out of here, and do it now."

_Why is he doing this?_ Pixal took a step toward the door, placing most of her weight on that foot. She knew the wood in this spot would not creak. And even if it did, the wind was too loud to hear such a soft noise.

_Even if he has sided with the enemy, I suppose his greatest loyalties still lie with family. Unexpected, and a little but heartwarming,_ she decided.

Zane turned his head slowly, his eyes finally landing on her. The blue orbs glinted with tears in the darkness as he whispered. "I love you, sister." He pointed at the door. "I'm counting down now, starting at ten..." A breath, a hesitant step in her direction. "Nine..."

With one last surge of determination, she ran through the door with swift, silent footsteps, and the chase began.

* * *

**Please leave a comment! Constructive criticism appreciated. Please tell me if you find any of my italicize brackets. This chappie has a lot more of them than usual, so I hope I didn't miss one. **

**ReaderOfGoodBook (Guest): I absolutely love your idea! I will try to use it sometime in the future. Don't stop sending me your random plot bunnies! They are NEVER too far off subject. **


	12. Lamentation

**Important!**

**I am going to go on a two-week hiatus to clear my head. I feel that I am keeping too aggressive of a schedule as of late, and that I need a short break. I will be skipping next week's TG update, as well as the 'Nya's Journey' story. (I'm going to call it NJ from now on.) **

**I am in the middle of a lot of busy spring activities, and I feel that I will be unable to keep my writing up to par. I need a quick break, but I promise that I will be back on May 6th. I hope you all won't forget me...(Sad violin music plays in the background...) **

**Wow, that was waaay too dramatic. Please save the soundtrack for a better time, Astrid. **

**...No, I did not just refer to myself in third person again...**

**OOH! Today on , I saw the first 5 minutes of How To Train Your Dragon 2! It was amazing, ****and I loved how they used Jonsi's music for the Hiccup flight scene. The animation is breathtakingly beautiful. I love Hiccup's monologue. I love it all...**

**Sigh... Okay, here's the first hurt/comfort chapter of the whole story. It probably won't be the last, so just a warning. But I promise that I have a magnificent ending planned for this story. The middle is a bit tragic, and this chappie is a prime example of that. The title says it all. **

* * *

**Lamentation**

* * *

The ship was beginning to rock violently as it flew through the storm. The winds and rain had driven the ship dangerously close to the churning water, and the stone warriors were having a difficult time keeping it airborne.

Pixal ran through the dark hallway, hoping with all her heart that she was going in the right direction. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as she forced her feet forward.

Every muscle in her body wanted to turn around and go back to her brother. If she was completely honest with herself, she would say that she had no desire to leave her brother behind. But it was the right thing to do, of course. So she continued running, almost against her own will. She followed her head instead of her heart.

Her reasons for escaping were simple, of course. The ship was close to land. Zane had told her during breakfast that they would be reaching the Dark Island just after sundown. She had decided that she would swim to shore and work out a plan on how to help her brother and Kai escape the Overlord from there. If she continued to submit to the Dark Knight, she would only end up hurting her brother. If she was free, she would be lot more help to them all.

"Cole!" She heard Zane's voice behind her, and knew that her chances of escaping were dwindling to single digits. Her brother had made true on his promise and was now calling his master to help track her down.

She heard Cole's heated, angry voice behind her and ran faster. Her feet pounded up the steps, and she stepped out onto the rainy deck. A strong gust of wind drove her to her knees, and she struggled to get upright.

"Pixal, get back here!" Cole's voice sounded distant because of the wind. "Come back now and I won't punish you!"

There was no way that she would ever listen to that monster. She scrambled to her feet and made her way across the deck slowly, fighting the wind with ever step she took. The ship gave a harsh jolt, and she flew into the air for a long, terrible moment before slamming into the floor. Her vision swirled as she lifted her head and saw the three figures across the deck from her, none faring any better than herself.

She got to her feet and saw that Cole had something in his raised hand. Her heart gave a great leap of terror when she spotted the knife. _Don't tell me he's going to try throwing it!_ She thought to herself. She knew Cole was good at throwing knives, but in these winds, under these circumstances, she was holding on to the hope that Sir Cole would not be able to throw straight.

But as of late, luck had not exactly been working in her favor.

She turned on her heel and ran to the railing, clinging to it with both hands as she gathered her determination and courage for the leap.

"Cole, no!" She heard Zane's desperate voice and wondered what they were fighting about.

She knew the answer only seconds later, where curiosity got the better of her and she turned her head in the direction of Zane's desperate cries. Her heart gave a great leap, and she cursed herself for hesitating. The Dark Knight was running toward her as fast as the wind would allow, knife held above his head as he wound up for the throw. His face was, to her surprise, full of more fear than anger. Was he afraid of losing her?

No, it was something else. Perhaps he was afraid of the storm? But that didn't make sense either, so she gave up on trying to he logical. Smartness never helped a person in this kind of circumstance.

Pixal stood paralyzed with fear as his arm swung toward her, and the hand released the blade.

Perhaps she had underestimated Cole's abilities, because his throw seemed much too accurate and precise to be labeled as 'lucky.'

The knife entered her chest with a loud shriek of metal on metal, and she gasped at the pain as she fell to her knees.

"Pixal!" Zane's voice was desperate and full of horror. "Cole, what have you done?"

Pixal's vision began to swirl with the wind, making her see everything double. She was vaguely aware of someone touching her. It was Zane. He was on his knees next to her, gripping her hand so hard that it hurt. It hurt like the pain in her chest. It was hot and searing, like fire. The rain falling from the sky did nothing to ease that pain. _  
_

"Sister, I am so sorry..."

She realized that she had shut her eyes, so she opened them slowly and saw her brother's wet face. She could not tell if it was tears or rainwater that coated his face. It was probably a combination of both. She saw his lips move, but she suddenly was unable to hear a thing. The wind, which still swirled around her body and tousled her blond hair, no longer screamed in its rage. The rain's loud patter was no longer there, although the droplets crashing against her face told her that it still fell in great sheets. The sword must have damaged something deep in her computers, because her body moved spastically as it tried to calculate the damage.

A grating pain in her chest told her that the sword was still there as she lifted her arms and grabbed Zane's shoulders. She used his body as a crutch and got to her feet shakily. The nice thing about being a robot was her ability to function fairly well with such horrific wounds. But she knew her systems were close to collapse, and that she had to hurry before she shut down from trauma. Even androids had their physical limits, and she was close to finding hers.

"I forgive you, Zane." She was not sure if her voice was actually working, since she could not hear a thing. The world was as silent as a morgue as she managed a weak smile and let go of her brother's shoulders. She turned to the railing and took in a raspy breath. She was as good as dead, and she knew it as well as she knew that the man kneeling behind her was her brother.

For some reason, she felt like she still had to leap into the water. It made no sense, because she knew her chances of making it to shore were so slim that she might as well try to teach a pig how to fly. But the urge was so irresistible. She _had_ to jump, because her brother had told her to do so only one minute earlier. She trusted him; and if he wanted her to jump, then nothing would stop her from doing just that.

And so she did. Without any regard for what the fall would do to her, she leaped over the edge of the ship. She dived head first, not allowing herself to acknowledge any of the pain in her chest as her body hit the water with a sickening crunch and everything went black.

* * *

Jay opened the door to Nya's workshop not knowing what to expect. Perhaps a few motorized gliders, or something else of that nature. When Lord Kaytake told him and Lloyd that his daughter had obtained a faster mode of transportation than the ship, Jay's curiosity had been piqued.

Jay held the door open for Nya and Lloyd, then shut it behind them. "So what's this flying contraption I've been hearing about?" He asked as he set down the large package of food and other supplies he had carried in with him.

Nya flipped a switch and limped slowly over to the far wall, sweeping her free arm out in grand gesture. "See for yourself," she said.

Jay peered into the dark corner for a moment before Nya flipped another switch, illuminating the large red metal contraption that stood on two sturdy legs, dormant and inert. His eyes widened as he figured out what the thing was. "Wow," was all he could find to say as he let out a short and awkward laugh.

Lloyd joined Nya next to the suit and touched one of the cold metal legs. "You did this all by yourself?" He asked.

Nya laughed lightly. "No, I had some help from Zane."

Jay finally gathered his composure and joined them in the corner. "So you two are seeing each other?" He asked. "You and Zane, I mean?"

Nya gave him a surprised look and blushed slightly. "No," she rushed her answer. "We just like to work together on projects like this. I have no interest in starting a relationship with an andro..." She caught herself and cleared her throat, letting the sentence drop.

Jay's face turned a light shade of red and he looked away. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I was out of line, please forgive me. I should not ask such personal questions."

Nya smiled at him and shrugged. "No, I'm fine with it," she assured him. "We are all friends here, and I've always felt that teasing was acceptable among close companions."

Lloyd chuckled. "Yeah, Jay. You should lighten up a bit. It seems as if you've got a million different things you want to say, so why are you holding it in?"

Jay backed up a step, as if in retreat. "Habit, I guess." He said. He did not have the heart to tell her that his question had been dead serious and not a tease. "I was a thief, and I made my living off of being silent. It is hard to transition to the life King Garmadon has laid out for me. Being loud like you goes against everything I've trained myself to be over the past ten or so years."

Lloyd frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're saying that I am loud?" He asked.

Jay hesitated and shot Nya a fleeting glance, pleading for help. Her head gave him a barely perceptible shake, and he knew he was on his own. "Let's just say..." He began slowly. "Let just say that if we were hiking in the woods, we would not be running into any bears."

Nya chortled softly as she watched Lloyd's reaction. He was clearly confused, trying to decide if Jay's answer had been a yes or a no.

"Come on," the Southern noblewoman nodded toward the mech. "Let's pack up the supplies and hit the skies. We have plenty of time to argue over who is the most potent bear repellent after we are in the air."

* * *

Zane watched in alarm as his sister let go of his shoulders and mouthed the words _'I forgive you.'_

He shook his head rapidly, unable to comprehend what he had just done to her. "Pixal, please don't..." He said in a feeble voice. "Don't do this to me..." He knew his words were falling on deaf ears. Her hearing component was malfunctioning, and her voice was gone. The hurt in her eyes told him that she could still feel the pain of the knife, which was lodged in her chest like a demonic leech.

She turned her back to him and staggered over to the railing.

"Pixal!" Zane knew shouting was futile. She could not hear him. He got to his feet and reached for her, but something held him back.

"Just let her go, Zane." It was Cole's voice.

Zane wrested himself from Cole's grasp and turned to face his captor with wide eyes. "Let her go?" He nearly whimpered. His head shook from side to side as he glared at the Dark Knight. "She is my sister, Cole. I cannot let her go." He turned back to Pixal and gasped sharply, inhaling a hundred water droplets as his mouth opened in a desperate final cry to his dearest companion. "Don't jump, sister!" He reached for Pixal's leg just as she started to climb over the rail.

Another hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder, stopping him before he could grab her. "No, Zane." Cole said firmly. "She is dead to us now. Get back inside."

Zane watched in horrified silence as her body disappeared over the edge of the ship. She had jumped, just as he had requested mere moments before, while they were still in the cell. But that plan had changed when Cole had thrown his blade into her body.

Pixal could be such an idiot sometimes. Surely she had known she would not survive the fall with that sword embedded in her chest. Now she was gone.

_Gone..._

_...GONE..._

Zane let out an angry cry as the tears sprang from his eyes. He whirled around and faced Cole, who was red in the face from his rage. "How could you?" He shouted. "You killed my sister, you dog!" He threw an angry punch at Cole's face.

The Dark Knight caught the fist easily and held it in his hand as he spat out his reply. "You let her loose, prisoner. Surely you knew this would happen if you defied my orders."

"Orders?" Zane's strength doubled in his rage, and he pulled his fist out of Cole's grasp. "My sister is dead!"

Kai leapt between the two men and grabbed Zane's shoulders. "Hey!" He shouted above the winds. "Stop it, Zane! Fighting will not help you here!"

Zane stared at Kai's brown eyes in shock for a long moment. No matter how hard he tried, his mind was unable to process what had happened. Pixal had just died. Kai had just broken up a fight. Cole was not shouting obscenities at them. None of these things computed in his systems. His emotions were on overload. How was he supposed to react?

It made him want to kill the one who killed his sister. It made him want to beat at the walls with his fists until his hands were beyond repair. It made him want to fall on a sword and end his misery.

It made him want to sink into Kai's arms and sob until the end of time.

Kai seemed to understand what was going on in Zane's mind because his eyes softened, and the hands on the Nindroid's shoulders slid behind his back and pulled him into an embrace. "I'm so sorry, Zane." Kai whispered into his ear. "I am so, so sorry."

Zane walked into Kai's warm arms. He wanted to cry, at least for a few minutes. He wanted to rid his mind of these emotions raging through his head like the bucking storm that engulfed the ship. But more than any of those things, he wanted his sister back.

The ship rocked violently for a moment, and Zane was thrown from Kai's grasp. He flew through the air for a few seconds before he landed on the railing and hit his head hard. For a long moment, his vision went black._ Why was this happening to him? _Lady luck was laughing in his face.

When his vision finally came back moments later, he found that he was falling. His body was hanging in midair, and he realized he would be joining his sister in just a few short seconds. But to his surprise, he felt no panic. The rage left him, along with his spirit. He felt like an empty shell as he went through his options. At this late point in the game, there weren't many of them to consider.

One of his options was to simply give up and twist his body in a specific way so he would break his neck upon impact and sink to the bottom. It would be the fastest and easiest option. To give up and die sounded too tempting for words. Without his sister, what did he have left?

But he knew that failure was not an option. Giving up was for the weak. He still had hope and a reason to live. If he made it to shore, he could still protect his ward. The Red Knight could not die. Although most commoners did not know it, Kai was the hope of the island.

Cole was the hope of the island.

..._He_ was the hope of the island. Protecting the prince was his one and only duty. He could not give up.

No, death was not an option. While he still had life, he had hope. Protecting his fellow knights was his duty and his reason for life.

It was this last thought that hardened his resolve. He twisted his body, drew in a deep breath, and threw his arms forward, diving into the water head first with a splash that hardly made itself known over the sounds of the raging storm.

He waited a few seconds before opening his eyes and glancing around. _Ugh..._seawater was almost unbearably rough on the eyes. But the water was fairly warm, suggesting that they were in the tropics. But to him, any water over forty degrees was considered warm. He was used to swimming in the Northern lakes, which usually had ice over them for eight or nine months of the year. This water had to have been at least seventy degrees. And that was unusually warm, even for shallow tropical coasts.

He dove down about fifteen yards and noted that the water was considerably calmer there, because the wave action was less harsh.

It seemed almost surreal, as if he were in another world. He was able to see the sandy ocean bottom about forty yards below him and decided that land had to be close by.

The hard part was deciding which way would lead him toward land. He could not see out that far from his current position. He treaded water and strained his eyes, trying to figure out which direction the Dark Island lay. His eyes drifted upward, and he had a heavy feeling of remorse as he thought of Kai and Cole. They would reach the island many hours before he did, that much was certain. Curse this storm for causing so much damage.

He did not dare even consider Pixal. He knew that she was probably on the ocean floor far behind him. Dare he go and search for her body?

He shook his head firmly. What good would a body do him?_ Let her rest in peace,_ he decided with an unbearable feeling of grief. Although he found it hard to comprehend, he decided it would be best to just accept he fact that he would not ever see her again. Right now, he just needed to focus on surviving.

He noted the growing ache in his lungs and knew that he would have to go up for air in just a minute. He judged his direction as best he could, following the current that would surely take him toward shore; or at least in its general direction. Thank goodness for small favors.

He swam to the surface and fought the waves for a short moment as he caught his breath and swam under again, this time only going down about ten to fifteen feet. He began to swim with the barely noticeable current, coming up for air every few minutes before diving down again. He noted after about two hours of this that the storm was beginning to die down, and that the rain had slowed to a steady drizzle instead of an angry downpour.

After another thirty minutes, he went up for air for perhaps the hundredth time and looked around, trying to get his bearings. He was becoming breathless. Even with the strict discipline and abuse he had put his body through over the years, it had never been enough to give him unending stamina. Although he came as close as was physically possible, he knew perpetual stamina was an impossibility. Even machines needed to rest every once and a while.

He noted that the rain had ended, and the winds had reduced itself to a strong breeze. The sky was black as a thick sheet, telling him that the clouds had not broken. By his best estimation, it was probably close to midnight. Since there was not a star to see in this world of black, let alone an island, he trusted the faint water currents and his knowledge of typical wind patterns to determine his next course. He took a deep breath and swam under again, repeating the cycle several more times before the next hour had run its course.

At about two in the morning he was certain that his strength would give out soon. He floated on the surface for about fifteen minutes, feeling the slight rolling of each wave under him as the water rose five or six inches every few seconds. He decided that this wave action could mean one of two things: that the winds were still blowing strong enough to make large waves, or the more hopeful of the two options, which would be that he was getting close enough to land for the waves to start cresting.

It was the thought of cresting waves that brought his hopes up and gave him new strength. He took a deep breath and dived into the water again, stroking methodically for perhaps two minutes before coming to the surface again. He was becoming too exhausted to stay under for any longer than that. He noted after another fifteen minutes that the waves were cresting faster and higher as he swam in the direction he would only assume was west. But it could have been east for all he knew. Perhaps he had swum all the way back to Ninjago and...

He chastised himself for thinking such illogical thoughts. Granted, his body felt like he had swum the entire ocean. His mind told him that such a thing was impossible, and that his tired head needed to stop thinking so he could get to shore faster. After another ten minutes, he felt sand under his soggy, booted feet. Normally, he would have followed the advice of most survival experts and gotten rid of the boots the moment he hit the water underneath the Black Bounty. But he had known he would need his boots later, so he had refrained from kicking his feet free of them.

Zane stood there for a long moment and relished in the feeling of ground under his feet as the waves lapped at his neck. After so many hours of nothingness under his boots, this honestly felt like heaven to him.

The waves pushed him forward and he dived under again, swimming with renewed energy. He knew it would not be much longer. The next time he rose to the surface, the water was at his chest. He had apparently hit a long underwater plateau, and the incline toward shore had been more gradual than he had originally guessed. But being unable to see the shore in the deep darkness, he told himself firmly to trust his instincts, which were telling him to let the waves push him toward the shore. Screw eyesight. He could feel the sand, the wind, and the waves, so he was content. In the morning, when he was fully rested, he could look at his surroundings to his heart's content.

The water became too shallow to swim in, and he stumbled his way toward the beach with his feet dragging through the sandy substrate, waves curling around his knees. He stumbled once and fell onto his hands, getting a mouth full of sandy seawater as he gasped for breath with his head hanging limply between his shoulders.

Ignoring the gritty sand between his teeth, he got to his feet again and staggered up and onto the beach, throat parched and dry as sandpaper. Once his feet reached the dry sand, he sank to his knees and sat in silence, breathing heavily for several beats before resting his head in his hands and allowing all of his penned-up emotions loose.

"Pixal..." He whispered to himself as his body trembled. How on earth did he come this far? In the space of a week, he had gone from being a man in a powerful position with a living father and sister to a man with nothing.

His body began to convulse with sobs as his body fell into the sand. He was too weak to do anything other than whisper his sister's name into the darkness. He blamed her death fully on himself. Labeling Cole as her murderer was just his weak cover up. It was like using a thin veil to block out the sun. He was the one who exposed her in the first place. He should have given her more time to escape before calling Cole and Kai out. Another ten seconds, and that knife would have never found the time to enter her chest. She would have been safely on the island, and he would still be on the ship to take whatever punishment Cole wanted to inflict upon him for giving her freedom.

Zane would have taken on a hundred lashes, if only to have the hope that she might still be alive. But that hope was gone, and he was surviving solely on the hope that perhaps he could save Kai and see his father again. Perhaps he could use his falcon and contact his father in the morning.

...Although the dread of telling Lord Julien what had happened to his daughter killed any pleasure Zane might have had in communicating with his father.

His eyes shut slowly as he decided to let tomorrow's dilemmas take care of themselves, at least for a few hours. He needed rest, and time to mourn his loss.

It was on that note that he found sleep, trembling with cold and silent sobs of grief and exhaustion.

* * *

**Am I the only one who got a deja vu from Overlord's Revenge? 'The blade entered her chest with a screech of metal on metal...'**

**Were you all wondering where my hurt/comfort flair was? You just found it. I swear, killing characters is like some sort of addiction for me. I just cannot stay away from it.**

**Gee, all of my stuff today has had the most awful plot twists...I feel sorry for any of you who read chapter 8 of Nya's Journey**...blablabla..**.NJ...and saw my shocking plot twist with the baby...poor Nya...****  
**


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